Unequal Sweden: Regional socio-economic disparities in Sweden

Webinar, Tuesday 21 September 2021, 10:00 – 11:00 CET

Internationally, Sweden is still associated with a growth model that secures a high level of social equality via a strong universal welfare state. However, this perception overlooks a distinct rise in inequalities over the past 20 years. Successive market-based reforms and structural change have created distinct regional socioeconomic disparities. This leads to the observation that there are four Swedens.

Inputs for overall growth and employment stem from a minority of regions. Municipalities in the lagging areas are increasingly under severe pressure to uphold attractive levels of high-quality public services for their populations. Neither previous ongoing economic growth nor central government transfers to municipalities and EU regional funds have helped to balance the regional disparities and inequalities. On the contrary, they may have deepened the divide. A new approach for regional development is needed.

Read the Report

Introduction in English:
László Andor, Secretary General of the Foundation For European Progressive Studies
Philipp Fink, Director, Nordic Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in Stockholm

Presentation of the Swedish report An unequal Sweden by the report authors:
Lars Fredrik Andersson, economic historian Umeå University
Håkan A Bengtsson, CEO of Arenagruppen

Discussants:
Monica Haider, Member of Parliament, Social Democrats, Member of the Business Committee
Peter Helander, Member of the Riksdag, Center Party, Member of the Business Committee
Terese Bengard, Head of Operations All of Sweden shall live
Moderator: Lisa Pelling, Chef Arena Idea

The report has been produced as part of European collaboration with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies at the European level. The project has previously produced a similar analysis in Germany, Finland, Italy and Romania and analyses are underway in Estonia. The indicators have been selected in collaboration with researchers from the Institut für Landes- und Stadtentwicklungsforschung.

This event was held in Swedish only.

ℹ️ Unequal Sweden is the 5th publication of the Unequal Europe Project in collaboration with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung