Epäkelvotut

Epäkelvotut is a Finnish historical term used to describe people regarded as unfit for work or other civic duties. The word combines the negating prefix epä- with kelvottu/kelvot, meaning fit or eligible; epäkelvotut literally means “the unfit.” In everyday speech and in official discourse, the term carried a stigmatizing connotation and was most common in earlier centuries.

In administrative and policy contexts, epäkelvotut referred to individuals deemed unable to work due to illness, disability, age, or other conditions, and who thus faced limited access to certain forms of relief, employment, or public service. The exact criteria varied over time and across institutions, reflecting broader debates about welfare, labor, and public health. The category intersected with legal and social policies of its era and can be found in historical records, statistics, and contemporary discussions of how societies regulate eligibility and support.

Today the term is largely obsolete in official Finnish language and is mainly encountered in historical writing. Modern Finnish uses more precise and neutral terms related to disability, work ability, health status, or eligibility, and contemporary policy emphasizes support and accommodation rather than exclusion on the basis of perceived unfitness.

See also: disability in Finland, social policy history, welfare and labor history.