Bo Södersten From Left to Right : Portrait of a Political Economist

This book explores the economic work and legacy of Bo Södersten. While best known internationally for his textbook International Economics , Södersten’s influence stretches well beyond this. Through his academic work and newspaper articles, he covered a wide spectrum of topics that often challenged conventional wisdom. By examining his work on housing, the labor-managed economy, development economics, nuclear power, childcare, and higher education, a full view of his diverse work is presented. This book aims to provide insight into the motivations and impact of Bo Södersten during each phase of his life: his academic career, his political life, and his time as a debater-provocateur. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in Swedish economics, the history of economic thought, and international economics. Preface Praise for Bo Södersten from Left to Right Contents Chapter 1: Growing Up Swedish Society 1930–1970 Childhood A Lucky Boy Chapter 2: Uppsala The Licentiate Thesis Incipient Socialist Agitator Literary Interlude Chapter 3: Doctor The Doctoral Dissertation: Growth and Trade Housing Policy: The Three Rents The Thesis Defense Chapter 4: After the Dissertation Articles Later Efforts The Guy with the Book Criticism and Competition Chapter 5: Essays Economic and Politics Herbert Tingsten Per Albin and the Brotherhood Reformist Socialism Chapter 6: The Hunt for a Chair The Swedish Institute for Social Research Gothenburg and Lund Chapter 7: The Housing Market Real Estate Taxation After the Book Chapter 8: The Dream of the Labor-Managed Economy The Problem of Capital Formation Micro Aspects Wage-Earners’ Funds A Utopian Idea Chapter 9: Contrasting Economies: Sweden and the Developing Countries More Textbooks Economic Development Chapter 10: Three Continents Cuba Chile: Allende and Pinochet Africa Asia Chapter 11: In Parliament Trying to Make It Housing The Stumbling Block Chapter 12: The Debater Economic Policy Chapter 13: Saulus Falls off the Horse A New Government Back in Power Left Turn Jobless Growth Chapter 14: The Overgrown Public Sector Taxes Nourishing and Draining Pensions: The Reform of the ATP System Chapter 15: Nuclear Power, Childcare, and Higher Education Nuclear Power Daycare Centers or Preschools? University Politics Chapter 16: Two Controversial Issues Immigration More Welfare Abuse: “The Catching Culture” Chapter 17: Concentration of Power and Corruption The Limits of Democracy Corrupt Politicians Chapter 18: Systemic Defects Low-Productive Health Care Reforming the Welfare State Chapter 19: Book Reviews and Biography Biographies Nobel Laureates Culture Torsten Gårdlund Chapter 20: Who Was He, Really? Family Life Student Relations The Academic Political Failure A Convinced Provocateur The Intellectual The Sybarite The Purpose of Life References Index