Effects of History and Culture on Attitudes toward Special Education: A Comparison of Finland and Norway

Table 3

Historical development.

Finland	Norway
Part of Sweden until 1809.	Part of Denmark until 1814.
Part of Russia until 1917 (then independent).	Part of Sweden until 1905 (then independent).
Civil war in 1918 between the “white” and the “red” with white the victor.	Development of a strong labor party that dominated the post-war period.
Attacked by Soviet Union in 1939 At war with the Soviet Union until 1945.	Attacked by Nazi Germany in 1940 Occupied until 1945.
Great war debt to Soviet Union.	Help from the US Marshal Plan.
Postwar period was dominated by forest industry and later a range of different industries.	Post war period was dominated by metal industry and from 1970 oil.
Huge depression in the early 1990 caused by the disappearance of the eastern trade partners.	Relatively mild depression in the early 1990s because of strong oil production.
Fast change to a post-industrial economy based on technology and innovation.	A slow change towards a post-industrial economy oil export is still the most important factor in the economy.
Member of the European Union (1995).	Not a member of the European Union.
Not a member of NATO.	Member of NATO.