The effect of size and the Nordic states’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Reactive or proactive?

This paper examines whether the small size of the public administration of the seven
Nordic countries affected the nature of their crisis responses, focusing on the mix between
proactive and reactive strategies, during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparing
across all seven cases, a key pattern emerges: the smaller the state – in terms of both population
and administrative depth – the more likely it is to rely on reactive mechanisms at the outset.
However, these same states also tend to be more flexible and socially cohesive, allowing for rapid
adaptation. In contrast, larger Nordic states have broader institutional structures and more expertbased capacity; this promotes proactive planning but may be hampered by decentralization,
bureaucratic silos, or institutional inertia. This study confirms that small states are more likely to
begin with reactive responses due to limited resources; but their capacity for quick adaptation,
voluntarism, and tight governance networks leads them to develop proactive measures over time.
Thus, size alone does not determine effectiveness; it interacts with governance structures,
administrative culture, and public trust. The crisis responses across the Nordic region demonstrate
that proactive and reactive strategies coexist on a continuum; and that agility, learning, and
institutional coordination are crucial to successful pandemic management, regardless of state size.