The Limits of Social Democracy: Investment Politics in SwedenFor many analysts modern Sweden is a case study of the success of social democratic principles. In no other capitalist country has the labor movement played a more influential role in government and industry, and thus Sweden invites a series of questions concerning the relationship between social democracy and capitalism. In The Limits of Social Democracy, Jonas Pontusson traces the history of Sweden's industrial organization and industrial policy. By focusing on production, he comes to a far less sanguine assessment of the Swedish labor movement's achievements than that of scholars who focus on social welfare policies. He persuasively demonstrates how the reconciliation of capitalism and social democracy is inherently precarious and unstable. Pontusson first provides an overview of the entire experience of Social Democratic government between 1932 and 1991. In particular, he explores early efforts to plan and control investment, production, and ultimately the performance of the economy. Pontusson then examines specific initiatives launched by the labor movement in the 1960s and 1970s for the purpose of enhancing public influence over investment. He concludes by assessing what has come of these initiatives. This definitive volume will be welcomed by scholars in the fields of modern Swedish politics, comparative politics, and political economy, and by theorists and practitioners of industrial relations and industrial organization. |
Contents
Theoretical Perspectives on Social Democracy | 10 |
The Politics of Planning | 37 |
Labor Strategy and Investment Politics in the Postwar Era | 57 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
active labor market agreement ambitions argued ATP savings ATP system bourgeois parties capital capitalist chap codetermination Codetermination Act collective shareholding funds commission competitiveness control of investment corporate decision corporate investment corporate profits corporate sector corporatist countercyclical decline Democracy earner funds economic electoral employees employment finance firms Fourth AP Fund fund's Götaverken government bill growth historical compromise increased industrial policy industrial restructuring initiatives interests investment decisions investment funds issue Kjell-Olof Feldt Korpi labor market policy labor movement labor's postwar strategy legislation LKAB LO's macroeconomic Meidner Plan ment million SEK Ministry of Industry negotiations organized business ownership engagements percent portfolio problems production promote proposed Rehn-Meidner model renewal funds representatives Rudolf Meidner selective state intervention shares significance Social Democrats solidaristic wage policy SSAB state-owned Sweden Swedish industry tion Uddevalla unlisted corporations Volvo votes wage bargaining wage earners wage restraint wage-earner funds workers