The Swedish Model Flashcards
What is the Swedish Model
A social democratic model of policy-making
How does Social Democracy work?
Social Democracy addresses Class Politics: Sweden historically managed class conflict through negotiation and compromise rather than repression or revolution. The 1938 Saltsjöbaden Agreement between unions and employers established a framework for peaceful labor relations, avoiding strikes and lockouts. Today, Sweden maintains low wealth inequality (Gini coefficient of 0.29, one of the lowest in the world) due to policies that balance worker and business interests.
Encompassing Labor Unions: Sweden has one of the highest unionization rates in the world (~65% of workers). Unions are sector-wide (not company-specific), giving them strong bargaining power. Example: LO (Swedish Trade Union Confederation) negotiates wages and working conditions across industries.
Labor Unions not controlled by government: Unlike in authoritarian socialist systems, Swedish unions are independent and self-governing. The government supports collective bargaining rights but does not interfere in union decisions. Example: Mediation Institute (a neutral body) helps resolve labor disputes without state coercion.
Class Compromise: Sweden’s “Swedish Model” is built on cooperation between labor, business, and government. Employers accept high wages and worker protections in exchange for labor peace and productivity. Example: FAM (Federation of Swedish Enterprise) negotiates with unions to set industry-wide wage standards.
Pursuit of Full Employment: Sweden prioritizes low unemployment through active labor market policies. The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) provides job training, relocation support, and subsidized employment. Even during crises (e.g., 1990s recession), Sweden maintained higher employment rates than most capitalist economies.
Progressive Taxation: Sweden has a highly progressive tax system, with top earners paying up to 57% in income tax. Taxes fund universal welfare programs while keeping inequality low. Example: Municipal income taxes (averaging ~32%) pay for local services like schools and healthcare.
Universal Welfare State (everyone pays, everyone benefits): Sweden’s welfare system is non-means-tested—all citizens benefit, regardless of income.
Key programs:
- Free healthcare (funded by taxes, no out-of-pocket fees for essential care).
- Free university education (even for wealthy families).
- Generous parental leave (480 days paid at 80% of salary).
This creates broad public support for the welfare state, since all classes benefit.
Sweden VS USA
Economic System:
S: Regulated Capitalism
USA: Free-Market Capitalism
Labor Unions
S: Strong and Independent
USA: Weak and Declining
Welfare State
S: Universal
USA: Means-Tested
Taxation
S: Highly Progressive
USA: Moderately Progressive
Film 1: Why people in Sweden are happier than we are https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6oAQlTd67k
Sweden ranked 4th globally in 2025 in the World Happiness Report
Why Swedes Are Happier: Key Reasons
1. Strong Social Welfare System
- Sweden’s universal healthcare, free education, and generous parental leave (480 days paid at 80% salary) reduce financial stress and promote equality.
- The welfare state ensures safety nets (e.g., unemployment benefits), fostering life security—a major predictor of happiness.
- Work-Life Balance & Job Security
- Swedes prioritize shorter work hours (e.g., 6-hour workday trials) and ample vacation time, reducing burnout.
- High unionization (~65%) ensures fair wages and worker protections. - High Trust in Society and Institutions
- Sweden scores exceptionally high in social trust (e.g., returning lost wallets, trusting neighbors), which correlates with happiness.
- Low corruption and transparent governance enhance public confidence. - Emphasis on Community and Nature
- Fika (coffee breaks with socialization) and communal living norms strengthen social bonds.
- Access to nature (e.g., “Allemansrätten”—right to roam) improves mental health. - Progressive Taxation and Equality
- High taxes fund robust public services, reducing inequality (Gini coefficient: 0.29, one of the world’s lowest).
- Wealthy and poor alike benefit from universal programs, fostering solidarity. - Cultural Attitudes
- Swedes value lagom (moderation) and work-life balance over materialism.
- Less societal pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” reduces stress.
Contrast with the U.S.
The U.S. ranks 24th in 2025, with declining happiness due to:
- Weaker safety nets: Healthcare costs and student debt create financial anxiety.
- Lower trust: Only 16% of Americans trust the government, vs. Sweden’s 60%+.
Work culture, income and equality, income inequality. Prison population, poverty incidence, suicide rates, human rights treaties ratified, health indicators, worker’s rights, crime as a problem, human development
What is the Nordic Political Model
Consensual (not adversarial) Democracy: Nordic countries prioritize consensus in politics. Governments are often formed through cross-party coalitions, reducing aggressive electioneering and fostering collaboration among political parties.
High Respect for Rule-of-Law: The Nordic countries are characterized by a high respect for the rule of law, ensuring that laws are applied equally and fairly, and that government actions are subject to legal constraints.
Proportional Representation Elections: All Nordic countries use proportional electoral systems, leading to fragmented party systems and necessitating coalition or minority governments.
Coalition-Building (5-7 party systems): Due to proportional representation, it’s rare for a single party to achieve an overall majority. As a result, coalition governments are the norm, requiring collaboration among multiple parties, typically ranging from five to seven in the legislature.
Constitutional Monarchies: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are constitutional monarchies, where the monarch’s powers are limited by a constitution, and the political system is democratic. Finland and Iceland, while part of the Nordic region, are republics.
Parliaments (not Presidents): The Nordic countries operate under parliamentary systems, where the executive branch derives its legitimacy from the legislature (parliament) and is accountable to it. This contrasts with presidential systems where the president is often both head of state and government.
Unicameralism (1-house of parliament): All Nordic countries have unicameral legislatures, meaning there is only one legislative chamber. This structure simplifies the legislative process and is seen in institutions like the Riksdag in Sweden and the Folketing in Denmark.
Strong Social-democratic Parties: Social-democratic parties have played a pivotal role in shaping the Nordic model, advocating for policies that promote social welfare, economic equality, and collective bargaining. These parties have been influential in establishing the comprehensive welfare states seen in the region.
Very high unionization rates: The Nordic countries have some of the highest trade union densities globally. This high level of unionization supports collective bargaining and labor rights.
Tripartite Corporatism: The Nordic model features a corporatist system where representatives of labor, employers, and the government collaborate to negotiate wages and labor market policies. This tripartite arrangement ensures that economic and social policies are balanced and broadly supported.
What’s the Structure of Swedish Elections?
Sweden holds general elections every four years, where voters cast ballots for three levels of government at once: the Riksdag (national parliament), municipal councils (local governance), and county councils (regional services like healthcare). The system is proportional representation, meaning seats are allocated based on the percentage of votes each party receives, with a 4% threshold to enter the Riksdag.
Who Can Vote in Sweden?
For Riksdag elections, you must be a Swedish citizen aged 18+, whether living in Sweden or abroad. In municipal/county elections, EU citizens registered in Sweden can vote, while non-EU citizens need three years of residency to participate locally. Voters are automatically registered and receive a voting card (röstkort) in the mail before Election Day.
How Does Voting Work in Practice?
On Election Day, voters head to their assigned polling station (often a school or library), bring valid ID, and pick a party ballot (or bring their own). They can optionally mark a preferred candidate within the party before sealing the ballot in an envelope. Sweden also offers early voting, starting 18 days prior, at any polling station nationwide—making it super accessible!
What Makes Sweden’s Electoral System Unique?
No Gerrymandering: Districts are drawn neutrally by civil servants.
Gender Balance: Most parties use zipper lists (alternating male/female candidates).
High Turnout: Around 85% of eligible voters participate, thanks to strong civic engagement and initiatives like school mock elections.
Transparency: Parties receive public funding based on past performance, reducing private donor influence.
Fun Swedish Election Traditions
Valdagen (Election Day) is a quiet, reflective event—no loud rallies, just Swedes calmly casting votes before enjoying fika (coffee and pastries).
Young Voters: Over 80% of 18-30-year-olds vote, partly due to schools normalizing democracy early.
The Samí Parliament: Indigenous Samí people elect their own parliament in a separate vote.
What Happens After the Election?
No party usually wins a majority, so coalitions are key. The Speaker of the Riksdag proposes a Prime Minister, who must survive a parliamentary vote (negative parliamentarism: they win unless a majority opposes them). Negotiations can take weeks—like in 2018, when it took 4 months to form a government!
What is Sweden’s electoral system?
PR-List electoral system
What is Sweden’s impact on women and men?
Gender equality is taken seriously: it engineers society around it. Every government policy, from infrastructure to education, undergoes a gender impact review, and there’s even a dedicated Minister for Gender Equality to hold institutions accountable. For example, in 2022, Sweden updated its rape laws to focus on consent rather than violence, a landmark feminist reform.
Close to half of parliament and cabinet are women: Imagine a parliament where women are just 3% shy of equal representation—that’s Sweden’s Riksdag. The cabinet is a perfect 50% women, including high-profile roles like Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson. This didn’t happen by accident: parties like the Social Democrats use “zipper lists” to alternate male and female candidates, and voters expect balance.
Women’s wages 93% of men: Swedish women earn 93 kronor for every 100 kronor men earn, one of the smallest gaps globally. But dig deeper: in identical roles, the gap shrinks to ~5%. The disparity mostly reflects women dominating lower-paid sectors like healthcare. To combat this, Sweden forces companies to publish salary data by gender—naming and shaming inequity.
High female employment: Thanks to subsidized daycare (max $120/month) and elderly care, Sweden’s female employment rivals men’s at 80%. But there’s a catch: 1 in 4 working women is part-time, often to handle unpaid care work. Still, it’s a stark contrast to countries like Italy, where only 52% of women work outside the home.
Individual taxation: Unlike countries that penalize dual incomes, Sweden taxes each spouse separately. This removes the “marriage penalty” that discourages women from working. The result? 73% of Swedish couples split earnings evenly, compared to just 31% in Germany (where joint taxation persists).
Family-friendly policies: Sweden’s 480 days of paid parental leave include 3 “daddy months” reserved for fathers—and 90% of dads take them. Schools reinforce equality too: some preschools avoid gendered pronouns (“friend” instead of “he/she”) and encourage boys to play with dolls. The payoff? Kids raised in gender-equal homes are more likely to choose non-stereotyped careers.
Women comprise 73% of public sector employees: Walk into a Swedish school or hospital, and you’ll see women everywhere—they hold 73% of public sector jobs. These roles offer stability but pay 12% less than equivalent private-sector jobs. The irony? Sweden’s push for equality hasn’t yet convinced men to flood “feminine” fields like nursing or teaching.
The Shadows Behind the Success: For all its progress, Sweden still grapples with men dominating CEO roles (only 12% are women) and women facing 1.5x more unpaid labor at home. Immigrant women face a double disadvantage, with employment rates 20% lower than native-born women. And despite strict laws, gender-based violence affects 1 in 3 Swedish women.
Film clip 3: Family Policy http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/maternity-leave/
- Maternity & Paternity Leave
Duration:
- 480 days (16 months) of paid parental leave per child, shared between parents .
- 90 days reserved for each parent (non-transferable) to encourage gender equality
Pay:
- 80% of salary (capped at ~$4,000/month) for 390 days, flat rate (~$20/day) for remaining 90 days .
- Tax-funded, administered by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) .
- Global Ranking: Sweden consistently ranks among the best for parental leave policies
- Child Allowances
Universal Child Benefits:
- ~$125/month per child (tax-free) until age 16 (or 20 if studying) .
- Additional means-tested benefits for low-income families .
- Large Family Supplement: Extra support for families with 3+ children . - Preschool (Förskola)
Subsidized Fees:
- Income-based (max ~$150/month for full-time care) .
- Free for low-income families and unemployed parents .
Access:
- Guaranteed spot from age 1, with 90% of 1–5-year-olds enrolled .
- Focus on play-based learning and socialization .
- Schooling (Grundskola & Gymnasium)
Free Education:
- Public schools (ages 6–19) are fully tax-funded, including meals, books, and transport .
- No tuition fees for university/college (including EU students) .
Curriculum:
- Emphasis on critical thinking, sustainability, and digital literacy .
- Grading starts at age 12 to reduce early pressure .
- Healthcare for Children
Universal Coverage:
- Free or low-cost healthcare (including dental care until age 23) .
- Barnavårdscentral (BVC): Free pediatric clinics for check-ups/vaccinations .
- School Health Services: Nurses and psychologists available in schools .
Key Takeaways from the Documentary Clip
The film likely highlights:
- Gender Equality: Sweden’s “use it or lose it” paternity leave policy (dads take 30% of parental leave) .
- Work-Life Balance: Parents can reduce work hours to 75% until child turns 8 .
- Social Impact: Policies correlate with high female employment rates (80% vs. OECD avg. 66%) and low child poverty (<10%) .
What is the Redistribution Paradox?
Targeted Approach
Cheaper
“Means-testing”
Only aid the most disadvantaged
class and rich
More public support
More trust in the government
More escape poverty
Universal Approach (Sweden)
Costs more
Less admin burden
All gets benefits: both the poor, middle class and rich
More public support
More trust in the government
More escape poverty
