Abstract
As in other Western European countries, the emergence of a national network for electricity transmission in Sweden was accompanied by a greater degree of State intervention in the electricity supply sector. The aim of this article is to elucidate the institutional background to the decision in 1946 by the Social Democratic government to transfer control of the national grid to the Swedish National Power Board. It is demonstrated that this decision not only was linked to a general industrial policy to promote energy supply. It was also linked to the agricultural and cohesion policies which emerged during the 1940s.
Notes
This article is part of a research project funded by Ragnar Söderbergs stiftelse [The Ragnar Söderberg foundation] under grant E41/11.
5. For instance CitationMillward and Singleton, The Political Economy; CitationForeman-Peck and Federico, European Industrial Policy; CitationToninelli, The Rise and Fall; CitationMillward, Amatori, and Toninelli, Reappraising State Owned Enterprise; CitationChick, Electricity and Energy; CitationBeltran, Chick, and Lanthier, “Nationalisations”; CitationHausman, Hertner, and Wilkins, Global Electrification; CitationClifton, Comín, and Fuentes, Transforming Public Enterprise.
18. Swedish National Archive, Ministry of Communications, Cabinet Meeting Documents, 23 May 1941, item 31, “Kungl. Vattenfallsstyrelsens skrivelse till Handelsdepartementet den 17 maj 1941,” appendix.
23. Government Bill Citation1/1946: appendix 5, 14–15.
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37. See for instance, Swedish Parliament, Private members' motions in the First Chamber 224/1936, 86/1941, 5/1942 and Swedish Parliament, Private members' motions in the Second Chamber 401/1936, 76/1941, 13/1942.
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Notes on contributors
Martin Eriksson
Martin Eriksson, PhD, is an economic historian who has published on different aspects of transport history, historical political economy and government-business relations.