DP901 Economic Growth and the Swedish Model

Author(s):	Magnus Henrekson, Lars Jonung, Joakim Stymne
Publication Date:	March 1994
Keyword(s):	Catching Up, Convergence, Economic Growth, Human Capital, Productivity, Welfare State
JEL(s):	O1, O52
Programme Areas:	Human Resources
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=901

We examine the growth performance of Sweden in the post-World War II period, focusing on explaining the relative decline of economic growth in Sweden since the early 1970's. The hypothesis that the relative decline is a consequence of productivity catch-up is rejected. A number of potential `ultimate' causes behind the slowdown are explored. An increasingly inefficient process of capital formation; a shrinking share of the economy being exposed to international competition; long-run negative effects of activist stabilization policies; rapid growth of the public sector; deteriorating incentives for human capital formation; and weak incentives for implementing the results of R&D efforts are all part of the story. The evidence suggests that the incentive structure created by `the Swedish model' made Sweden less successful in adapting to the shocks of the 1970's and 1980's than other OECD countries.