Neocon,
I you may be correct about Sweden's reputation as a high growth state and about its "Third Way". But IMO, I think that Sweden's "Third Way" really was an economic dead end - myth. I have found a number of interesting facts, that have tended to support my belief: 1. Sweden's Government spending was less than a third of GDP after the Second World War - a percentage not unlike other Western Countries (Sweden-31%, UK-32%, USA-27%, Fr-34%, Swiss-17.3%). 2. Even as late as 1970, Sweden's Governmental expenditures, still represented less than 40% of GDP. - meaning much of the miracle occurred while Govt. expenditures < 40% of GDP 3. Sweden's Government expenditures didn't reach 50% till the late 70's., 60% around 1980. 4. By the 80's, the economic position of the Swedes began to slip with respect to the rest of 1st world. - If economic purchasing power is used (PPP), Sweden fell from 6th to 16th from the last half of the 80's to the early 90s (showing up several years before actual Per Capita GDP began to slip with the rest of the 1st World).
re:" had already mentioned neutrality as a possible factor, and acknowledged that the trend in the '90s was not so good. Still, the performance up to that time, when Sweden gained its "Third Way" reputation, was remarkable, with high growth rates relative to most industrialized countries, for example........" |
