Twelve Figures in Swedish Economics : Eli Heckscher, Bertil Ohlin, Gunnar Myrdal, Ingvar Svennilson, Axel Iveroth, Jan Wallander, Erik Höök, Bo Södersten, Rolf Henriksson, Ingemar Ståhl, Villy Bergström and Göte Hansson

This book explores the development of economic thought in Sweden through some of the people who shaped it. The book highlights both some of the well-known contributions and some overlooked areas of research. It begins with the origins of the pioneer neoclassical Heckscher-Ohlin theorem and Gunnar Myrdal ’s circular, cumulative approach to economic development. Secondly, it focuses on a number of economists related to the Industrial Institute of Economic and Social Research: Ingvar Svennilson, Axel Iveroth, Jan Wallander, Erik Höök, Villy Bergström and Rolf Henriksson. Finally, it offers portraits of three economists from Lund University: Bo Södersten, Ingemar Ståhl and Göte Hansson. The work of all of them is placed within the context of the contemporary academic and public economic debate. This book aims at providing a perspective on the legacy of the Swedish tradition in economics and will be relevant to students and academics interested in the history of economic thought. Preface Praise for Twelve Figures in Swedish Economics Contents 1 Introduction: Twelve Figures in Swedish Economics Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin: The Origin of Their Theorem Gunnar Myrdal on Method The Swedish Planning Issue: Ingvar Svennilson A Young Man in the Swedish Diplomatic Service: Axel Iveroth Ingvar Svennilson Goes West Deep in the Heart of Värmland: Jan Wallander and the Class Society The Swedish Public Sector: Erik Höök Economics as Polemics: Bo Södersten Economic Doctrines: Rolf G. H. Henriksson Deregulation of Agriculture: Ingemar Ståhl A Moose Hunter at the Riksbank: Villy Bergström All Too Soon: Göte Hansson References 2 The Inspiration for the Heckscher–Ohlin Theorem The Heckscher–Ohlin Theorem Heckscher’s Sources of Inspiration: The Sugar Tariff Issue ‘Solidary’ Tariffs: Fritz Brock Wicksell’s Criticism Bertil Ohlin’s Contribution Ohlin’s Sources of Inspiration: Studies in Lund and Stockholm Unter den Linden Heckscher and Ohlin From Harvard to Copenhagen and Beyond References 3 Gunnar Myrdal on Poverty and Circular, Cumulative Causation Dynamics Wicksell’s Cumulative Process and Myrdal’s Adaptation of It The Problem of Value Premises A Programmatic Article and Active Economic Policy Circular Causation and Institutions Social Engineering: The Population Issue An American Dilemma The ‘Negro Problem’ Explicit Value Premises Circular, Cumulative Causation Social Engineering American Poverty Revisited: Challenge to Affluence The International Dimension of Poverty The Cairo Lectures Beyond the Welfare State Asian Drama The Mechanisms of Poverty The Need for Planning Underutilization of Labor The Non-Agricultural Sectors Agricultural Reform Population Problems The Challenge of World Poverty America and South Asia in Retrospect The Preacher The Wisdom of Hindsight Epilogue References 4 Ingvar Svennilson on Economic Planning in War and Peace Why Svennilson? Wartime Planning Planning for the Peace Peacetime Planning Long-Term Planning Planning in Retrospect Conclusions References 5 From the Western Front: Axel Iveroth in Washington Industrial Attaché Iveroth The First Letter to Sweden The Mohn Affair Climate and Culture American Organization Swedish-American Relations Swedish-American Industrial Contacts An Important Cooperation Norwegian-Swedish Cooperation New York Canada and Chicago References 6 From the New World: Ingvar Svennilson in the United States and Cuba Industry Visits University Visits Enormous Investment Needs Overproduction? The Advance of the Trade Unions Social Policy and Income Distribution Economic Policy A Ten-Year Plan Svennilson in Cuba In Revolutionary Havana The Cuban Economy The Support for Castro The Critical Year 1959 INRA The Relations with the United States References 7 ‘Well, But in Those Days, Booze Was Cheap’: Jan Wallander in the Värmland Forests From Valhallavägen to Risberg We Down Here, You Up There: The Värmland Class Society On the Ground Higher Up At the Top The Elderly References 8 ‘Like Locusts on the Mississippi’: A Pioneer Study of the Expansion of the Swedish Public Sector Background Facts Productivity and Cost Disease Doctoral Dissertation The Thesis Defense The Reception in the Press The Reception in Professional Journals Expert Statements The Long-Run Impact Concluding Remarks References 9 The Political Economy of Bo Södersten The Licentiate Thesis Literary Interlude Doctor The Doctoral Dissertation: Growth and Trade Housing Policy: The Three Rents The Thesis Defense After the Disssertation The Guy with the Book Essays Per Albin and the Brotherhood The Hunt for a Chair The Swedish Institute for Social Research Gothenburg and Lund The Housing Market The Dream of the Labor-Managed Economy Criticism More Textbooks Economic Development Cuba and Chile Africa and Asia In Parliament The Debater Economic Policy Saulus Falls off the Horse The Overgrown Public Sector Nourishing and Draining Pensions: Reform of the ATP System Nuclear Power Daycare Centers or Preschools? University Politics Immigration ‘The Catching Culture’: More Welfare Abuse Concentration of Power The Limits of Democracy Systemic Defects Reforming the Welfare State People Torsten Gårdlund Who Was Bo Södersten? References 10 Rolf G. H. Henriksson: Portrait of an Economist The Dissertation The Heckscher Studies Montgomery and Ohlin The National Institute of Economic Research The Lundberg Studies The Industrial Institute for Economic and Social Research The Dahmén Studies The Political Economy Club The Swedish Economic Association Politics and History of Economic Doctrines A Meticulous Lone Wolfer References 11 The Peasant Oppressor from Norra Fäladen: Ingemar Ståhl and the Regulation of Swedish Agriculture The Political Economy of the Food Sector Emergency Policy The Interest Group Analysis The Peasants Grumble Deregulation CAP Epilogue: This is 2017 References 12 My Friend Villy Childhood and Studies The Social Democrat The Political Economy of Hemoptysis In the Scientific Service of the Labor Movement Editor in Chief, Deputy Governor at the Riksbank and the LO Once More Moose and Ellington Socialism for Real References 13 Social Clauses, Harmonization and Transition Economies: The World of Göte Hansson The First Publications The Dissertation Discrimination The Practical Level Harmonization Trade Policy and Technical Standards Working Environment Quality and Environmental Destruction Fiscal and Monetary Policy A Practical Application: The Car Industry Internationalization Ethiopia Ethiopia Tikdem More Sida Reports Eritrea The Horn of Africa and Tanzania A Disputed Chair The Faculty Man References Index "In this collection of essays, Mats Lundahl offers an erudite exposé of twelve Swedish economists who conceived of economics as a broad social science and ventured outside the ivory tower. By presenting key parts of their work that are only available in Swedish, this book not only fills some gaps in the picture of the history of Swedish economics, it also inspires new generations of economists to communicate their findings outside their narrow circle of specialists." -- Magnus Henrekson, Professor of Economics and Senior Research Fellow at the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN), Stockholm "In this book, we learn about 12 Swedish economists. Heckscher, Ohlin, and Myrdal are world famous -- others are talents deserving wider recognition. Mats Lundahl brings them all to life in an excellent overview." --Karl Ove Moene, Professor of Economics, University of Oslo "Mats Lundahl is a master of biographical essays. In Twelve Figures in Swedish Economics he provides new material on Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin and also presents ten more economists. His personal style makes the reading a great pleasure at the same time as you learn a lot both about the individuals and their subjects." --Bo Sandelin, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Gothenburg This book explores the development of economic thought in Sweden through some of the people who shaped it. The book highlights both some of the well-known contributions and some overlooked areas of research. It begins with the origins of the pioneer neoclassical Heckscher-Ohlin theorem and Gunnar Myrdal 's circular, cumulative approach to economic development. Secondly, it focuses on a number of economists related to the Industrial Institute of Economic and Social Research: Ingvar Svennilson, Axel Iveroth, Jan Wallander, Erik Höök, Villy Bergström and Rolf Henriksson. Finally, it offers portraits of three economists from Lund University: Bo Södersten, Ingemar Ståhl and Göte Hansson. The work of all of them is placed within the context of the contemporary academic and public economic debate. This book aims at providing a perspective on the legacy of the Swedish tradition in economics and will be relevant to students and academics interested in the history of economic thought. Mats Lundahl is Professor emeritus of Development Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he held his chair between 1987 and 2013 This book explores the development of economic thought in Sweden through some of the people who shaped it. The book highlights both some of the well-known contributions and some overlooked areas of research. It begins with the origins of the pioneer neoclassical Heckscher-Ohlin theorem and Gunnar Myrdal s circular, cumulative approach to economic development. Secondly, it focuses on a number of economists related to the Industrial Institute of Economic and Social Research: Ingvar Svennilson, Axel Iveroth, Jan Wallander, Erik Hook, Villy Bergstrom and Rolf Henriksson. Finally, it offers portraits of three economists from Lund University: Bo Sodersten, Ingemar Stahl and Gote Hansson. The work of all of them is placed within the context of the contemporary academic and public economic debate. This book aims at providing a perspective on the legacy of the Swedish tradition in economics and will be relevant to students and academics interested in the history of economic thought. Mats Lundahl is Professor emeritus of Development Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he held his chair between 1987 and 2013 This book explores the development of economic thought in Sweden through some of the people who shaped it. Secondly, it focuses on a number of economists related to the Industrial Institute of Economic and Social Research: Ingvar Svennilson, Axel Iveroth, Jan Wallander, Erik Hoeoek, Villy Bergstroem and Rolf Henriksson.