Description:
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Manitoba have noted media references to Sweden's superior economic indicators but have also noticed that reference is rarely made to the considerable social programs that provide the foundation for that economic performance. Professor Olsen's "Lessons from Sweden" provides the full picture.
Despite its enviable and long-standing status as one of the most egalitarian of capitalist nations, with one of the highest standards of living in the world, Sweden seems to only receive media attention when some vested interests want to suggest that even those nations most committed to equality are abandoning the state in favour of freer markets. However, while there is a great deal to learn from Sweden (and the other Nordic lands), media accounts which only focus upon some narrow policy instrument change or 'social experiment' are often quite misleading. These developments must be understood within broader social policy domains and situated within the framework of the welfare state and the broader societal context. From this vantage point it is clear that the public sector still plays a very central role in Sweden today.