A long-term perspective on regional economic development in Sweden, Ca. 1550–1914

Abstract

The aim of this article is to provide a broad picture of regional economic development in Sweden over a long-term perspective, from the middle of the sixteenth century until about the time of the First World War. Attention is focused mainly upon the shifting balance between major regions of the country. The article concludes with a discussion of the long-term trend in terms of generative and competitive growth respectively and of long regional cycles with an international perspective.

This article has been written as part of the research project entitled Regional särutveckling i Sverige under 1800-talet (Regional Development in Sweden during the Nineteenth Century), for which financial assistance was provided by Humanistisk-samhällsvetenskapliga forskningsrådet (the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences). Thanks are due to Professor Rolf Adamson for his valuable comments on an earlier version.

This article has been written as part of the research project entitled Regional särutveckling i Sverige under 1800-talet (Regional Development in Sweden during the Nineteenth Century), for which financial assistance was provided by Humanistisk-samhällsvetenskapliga forskningsrådet (the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences). Thanks are due to Professor Rolf Adamson for his valuable comments on an earlier version.

Notes

This article has been written as part of the research project entitled Regional särutveckling i Sverige under 1800-talet (Regional Development in Sweden during the Nineteenth Century), for which financial assistance was provided by Humanistisk-samhällsvetenskapliga forskningsrådet (the Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences). Thanks are due to Professor Rolf Adamson for his valuable comments on an earlier version.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Johan Söderberg

Born 1950, fil.dr., research assistant at the Department of Economic History, University of Stockholm. Project leader of the research project ‘Stagnating Metropolis: Growth Problems and Social Inequality in Stockholm, 1760–1850’.