The Swedish Labour Movement and Post-War Radicalisation: Social Democracy Between Economic Elites and the Trade Union Movement

Abstract

There are strong arguments in favour of viewing the post-war development in Sweden, officially a neutral country during the Second World War, as a clear contrast to the more dramatic situation in many other parts of Europe. For a long time, it was also broadly accepted in history writing that the foundation for the post-war development in Sweden, later on called the Swedish Model, was mainly laid during the interwar period. From this perspective, the war and its immediate aftermath, characterised by a temporary conflict over planning, are primarily seen as an interregnum on the road from pre- to post-war society.