The Rise, Decline, and Future of the Swedish Left

Abstract

Swedish voters' support for the labor movement has decreased from about 50 percent to less than 40 percent in recent decades, with a resulting loss of the majority in parliament. Over the same period, capitalism has undergone profound changes--transfer of production across borders, the huge growth and ultra-rapid movement of financial capital, and subordination of social welfare to the interests of profit. A new phase in the development of capitalism can be detected: from welfare capitalism to financial capitalism. Large parts of the public sector have been privatized by both conservative and labor governments, even while retaining public funding. The social gaps grow, and a new line of conflict is emerging in the values and interests that should govern care-taking, schools, and living conditions. The labor movement's ideological and scientific analyses have taken a backseat to liberal-conservative think tanks. An effective response to financial capitalism, transnational production chains, and European integration will require trade union and political actions across national borders to strengthen the power resources in the hands of the majority of the population, so as to counter the increasingly destructive powers of capitalism.