Towards a new Swedish model?

From the Vikings to the industrial age

After millennia of glaciation, the Vikings (800-1050) ushered in the first period of modern Swedish history. The Vikings, forerunners of modern Swedish society, were already relatively non-hierarchical and egalitarian. Their social structures, based on solidarity and a low level of dependence, favored the notion of the "group" to the detriment of libertarian individualist values. Free men (Böndr) make up the majority of society, and have a "right to vote" in assemblies (Thing). As in other Nordic countries, women have a relatively free status in a society that remains patriarchal.

Of course, the strandhoeg (Viking expeditions) also had a profound impact on the rest of Europe... The Christianization of the country put an end to this and, in 1280, King Magnus Ladulas paved the way for a feudal society. This "first Swedish model" became an example for other Nordic countries. So much so that Sweden, Denmark and Norway were united for two centuries (1397-1523) in the Kalmar Union. The execution of 80 Swedish nobles (the "Stockholm bloodbath") by Christian II, the Danish king of the Union, sealed the end of the Union and ushered in the Vasa dynasty.

The 18th and 19th centuries saw spectacular growth in agriculture, on which 90% of Swedes depended. However, rapid population growth combined with agricultural crises led to violent famines (1869). The population emigrated en masse. Nearly 1.3 million Swedes set sail for the American Midwest between 1850 and 1890, fleeing famine... but sometimes also the yoke of the Lutheran church.

Neutral and unaffected by the two world wars, the post-war period marks a new phase, dominated by the Social Democrats (and the emblematic Prime Minister Olof Palme) and the Welfare State. The Sweden of Ericsson, Volvo and Saab, now one of Europe's most industrialized countries, was still imbued with powerful popular movements born in the 19th century: free churches, temperance leagues, feminist organizations and a deep-rooted labor movement.

Cultural differences with France

Three key values illustrate the differences between France and Sweden. The first is Sweden's rather "low" hierarchy: consensus is mandatory for all decision-making. The French Revolution of 1789 sought to recreate an elite based on merit. To legitimize the Revolution, this elite had to be "better" than the one it sought to replace, hence the ultra-selective system of classes préparatoires and Grandes Ecoles still in place today. Swedish education, with its less violent socialist tradition (the country remains a monarchy), has a more egalitarian project, leading to a flat hierarchy, not only in companies but also within the family and the couple.

Flat hierarchies are conducive to the development of a willingness to work for the group, not the individual. Traditionally, individualism has had little place in Sweden, in favor of the well-being and smooth running of the group. In this respect, there is almost an inversion of French and Swedish values. The culture of egalitarianism, much more advanced in Sweden, also enables feminism to flourish more rapidly, unlike in France, where elitism tends to preserve existing male structures and values.

The end of egalitarianism?

Globalization and socio-demographic changes in Sweden are bringing about profound upheavals. With its generous social system, reputation for tolerance and healthy economy, Sweden is one of the preferred destinations for migrants fleeing conflict, dictatorship or poverty.

In 2021, however, Sweden held the sad European record for homicides by firearms. Worried, parents are withdrawing Swedish children from public schools and entrusting them to private schools (Friskolar), which have been flourishing since the 1990s. These schools already cater for almost a quarter of children (33% of high school students), particularly those from the most favorable socio-economic backgrounds (but also those from emigrant backgrounds!), slowly calling into question a social-democratic model that had long reigned supreme. This school segregation is self-perpetuating: creating inequalities, it encourages concerned parents to shelter their offspring in increasingly selective schools.

"Sweden still enjoys an egalitarian image abroad, and even here at home this idea partially persists," comments Daniel Suhonen, director of Katalys, a think tank close to the trade unions. "But in reality, we've gone from a model aimed at smoothing out inequalities to another, much more liberal model, which has deepened them once again.

Digitization, instigating a new era?

The "DESI" report published by the European Commission in 2017 ranks Sweden as the 3rd most digitalized country in Europe, behind Denmark and Finland. 95% of the population use the internet on a daily basis. 90% of families are equipped with IT equipment. Stockholm ranks second in the world, just behind Silicon Valley, in terms of the number of "technology hubs per capita". Anyone who has never traveled to Sweden has never experienced the joys of a continuous Wifi connection! Already, in the plane at 30,000 feet, the Internet connection suffers no interruption.

The economic situation remains prosperous, and Sweden seems to be in an excellent position in the face of the digital revolution shaking the planet. Covid-19 has also rekindled the debate on the importance of the welfare state, after decades of privatization of whole swathes of the education and healthcare systems. It's difficult to anticipate the changes to come, but the social model no longer resembles what it was in the twentieth century, undergoing a profound crisis that could call into question the old Viking and social-democratic heritages.