The magic that Finland had was always based on one thing: governments invested in people.
But they invested into conditions where people had the right skillsets to be in companies, and thrive in general. In the last decades, they have been more populist, putting money into handouts, and education into nothing that is in demand. Lots of meaningless degrees. Now because of all the past failures, the current government has to continue on the path of more failure. More unnecessary useless debt, whilst cutting spending in areas that matter. It doesn't matter which party is in, the result is the same.
Right now, that environment is collapsing.
I completely agree, but I have been saying it for 20 years already. It is inevitable, because they have taken the approach they have, and it is just a slide down. It will get much worse.
It is not about Finns having too much faith in the state. It is that the state literally changed its role.
The state is the people, the people the state. People can make a difference, but instead they spend their time arguing over and caring about useless topics instead.
You should read this about the state of the education in Finland, it gives clear picture what has been happening since 2003
https://brokenchalk.org/challenges-in-the-finnish-education-system/
Since 2003 education has not faced nothing but cuts and it shows. Right now they are taking what's left of it. There has not been handouts, 90's were the golden era of everything.
Can you clarify what exactly are useless topics?