CALMFORS: THINGS TO LEARN, BEWARE OF OVERSELLING

In this chapter in EEAG:s 2007 report, Lars Calmfors gives an excellent and balanced analysis of the economic achievement of the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Denmark and Finland. There are things to be learned for other countries but in the debate there is also some overselling, he concludes.

Scandinavia today: An Economic Miracle ?


DAVIS ET AL: TAXES PARTLY EXPLAIN JOBLESS GROWTH

This NBER-paper from Steven Davis and Magnus Henrekson finds many explanations for the weak market work performance in Sweden after the crises, as still high tax on labour, consumption and business, wage setting mechanisms etc.

Economic performance and work activity in Sweden


SACHS: NORDIC MODELS NO “ROAD TO SERFDOM”

Jeffrey Sachs argues in this article 2006 that high taxes and generous welfare states are not a “road to serfdom”, as Hayek suggested, the Nordic economies successfully combine dynamism, economic prosperity and social justice.

The social welfare state, beyond ideology


WOLF: MATERNAL STATE GONE TO FAR

The influential columnist Martin Wolf in Financial Times claims in this article 2006 that the maternal Nordic states fails, as their long run performance shows.

Decay and the welfare state

SINN: FAKE JOBS IN SCANDINAVIA ADD TO GDP

The director of the German IFO institute Hans-Werner Sinn claims in this article that government demand for labour in Scandinavia keeps wages high and inflate GDP, since wages are paid regardless of how useful and productive the government jobs are – but its better that market decides using subsidized wages.

Scandinavia’s Accounting Trick


FREEMAN ET AL: REFORMS FOR REVIVAL

This follow-up of the first influential NBER-report from 1997, US and Swedish economist again 2006 analyze the broad macroeconomic and structural reforms in Sweden after the crises in the 1990s and conclude that the reforms have contributed to a revival of growth and economic progress, but more needs to be done (papers in English, report in Swedish).

Reforming the Welfare State


MUNCHAU: DEVALUATION EXPLAINS GROWTH

Wolfgang Munchau writes in Financial Times that crises and devaluation, not the Swedish model, explains the strong economic performance in Sweden in recent years.

The devaluation saga of Sweden’s industrial rebirth


BHAGWATI: GLOBALIZATION CHALLENGES TO SWEDEN

The globalization defender Jagdish Bhagwati says in this entertaining speech that Sweden protect workers, not jobs, that’s good, but Sweden needs to do better to meet the challenges from globalization.

Globalization and Sweden


LINDBECK: NEW CHALLENGES FOR THE WELFARE STATE

The internationally well respected economist Assar Lindbeck summarizes 2006 in this paper “goods and bads” in the welfare state, concluding that financial difficulties, benefit dependency, individualization and minority group problems are major future challenges.

The welfare state – Background, Achievements, Problems


HENREKSON ET AL : SWEDISH MODEL HAMPERS ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Magnus Henrekson and Jesper Boine argues in this paper from 2006 that the polices in Sweden to promote innovation in big firms create problems when entry, exit and turnover of small and medium firms become more important for growth.

Promoting Entrepreneurship in the Welfare State