From the Swedish Model to the Open Society: The Swedish Power Investigation and the Power to Investigate Power, 1985–1990

Abstract

This article analyses the background, activities and reception of the Swedish power investigation (1985–1990). It argues that the power investigation had to navigate between two distinct expectations: on the one hand, the investigation was to expose private power in the interest of equality and justice; on the other hand, it was to improve the exercise of public power in the interest of democracy and efficiency. Because of this two-fold objective, the power investigation was criticised for having neither disclosed private power openly enough, nor pointed out possible ways of adequately rejuvenating welfare state policies clearly. However, the article concludes that one may also assess the power investigation insofar as it served to reconceptualise the socio-political language of welfare state politics in general, as a result of the power inherent in the right to investigate power.

Keywords::

• power investigation
• welfare state criticism
• Swedish model
• open society

Notes

¹ This dissatisfaction seems to have been of a temporary character, however. Already in the early 1980s, public trust in and support of the public sector were again on the rise, as evidenced in sociological reports.

² Interview with Olof Petersson, 24 April 2013.

³Arbetarrörelsens arkiv och bibliotek, SSU:s arkiv, handlingar från SSU:s distriktskonferens i Södertälje den 24 mars 1985, Statsrådsberedningens pressmeddelande den 24 mars 1985 om tillsättandet av en maktutredning och om statsrådet Ingvar Carlssons tillkännagivande samma dag vid SSU:s distriktskonferens i Södertälje.

⁴Arbetarrörelsens arkiv och bibliotek, SSU:s arkiv, handlingar från SSU:s distriktskonferens i Södertälje den 24 mars 1985, Stolpar till Ingvar Carlssons tal.

⁵ This had indeed been one of the original arguments against a scientific study and in favour of a parliamentary committee.

⁶Riksarkivet, Kommittéarkiv, Maktutredningen, YK 4108, Volym 1, Statsrådsberedningens pressmeddelande den 28 juni 1985 om maktutredningens uppdrag.

⁷ Interview with Olof Petersson, 24 April 2013.

⁸ Both Hirdman and Petersson expressed some surprise at having been offered the position on the power investigation, in both cases personally by Ingvar Carlsson. Interview with Yvonne Hirdman, 10 May 2012; Interview with Olof Petersson, 24 April 2013.

⁹Riksarkivet, Kommittéarkiv, Maktutredningen, YK4108, Maktutredningens redovisning den 21 augusti 1986 till justitiedepartementet.

¹⁰Riksarkivet, Kommittéarkiv, Maktutredningen, Pressklipp, YK 4108, Vols 25–34.

¹¹Riksarkivet, Kommittéarkiv, Maktutredningen, Pressklipp, YK 4108, Vols 25–34.

¹² This resembles the way in which social reformers in the 1930s looked at the scientific management of industry in order to develop efficient means towards social engineering.