Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-06-21
Sweden's Progressive Welfare State
By Lionel Durand

a total of 10000 rooms, a year.
Anderson believes that the So
luton for Stockholm is to build
more and more small communities
around the city, with a virtually
self-contained economy. Shops,
Fairgrounds for children, schools,
parks, and playing fields are in
cluded in the same unit, within
easy reach of offices and factories
in downtown Stockholm. More
than 100000 persons now live in
these "garden-cities."
A great number of couples are
moving into the $4,000 "chalets,"
thousands of which have mush-
roomed around Stockholm with the
help of the city, which puts up to
900 of the cost as a loan to the
tenants. The latter can bring the
cost down by helping to build these
little houses. In the spring and
summer months it is customary to
see whole families living under
tents while their homes are being
put up behind a neat patch of
garden.
The city and state administra-
tons are taking an even greater
part in the financing of housing
projects. In the case of Stockholm,
for instance, the city contributed
funds in 1870 Of all housing pro-
jects during 1912, but by 1949, the
city was helping in financing 500
of the homes built.
When the Social Democrat
Party took control in 1882, with
as comfortable majority as could
be expected within a parliament
airy monarchy, it's first task was
to launch vast program with the
major aim of giving work to the
unemployed. Roads, bridges, and
railroad lines were built. Today,
the state or city is still the biggest
boss in fields such as commune
cations, railroads, hydro-electric
plants, and a large part of the
forest industries.
1t is difficult to record, in terms
of percentages, the exact amount
of Swedish industry which has
been partly or wholly nationalized.
However, the Swedish state con-
trolls entirely some industries like
water supply. railways, telegraph
and telephone systems. But the
Government does not always oper-
ate the industries it controls, as in
the case of the Swedish radio,
whose programs are chosen by an
Independent board. Also, the Gov
eminent is the co-oWner of several
of the chief resources, such as for
ests, 1870 of which belong to the
state, and mines, in which the
State has an interest of 500 or
more.
Most of the iron mines in Norr-
land are partly owned by the Gov
eminent, but the steel industry, on
the whole. is independently held
ohN OPCAatOo. oO Oh z IiiC COiiSlTuC-
ton industry, the navigation COM
panies, most of the banks, electri-
cal companies, insurance compan-
les, chemical plants.
Government participation in in
dustry seems not to have pre-
vented labor from organizing SOL
idly. Swedish workers, 400 of
whom make their living in indus
try and manual work and 300 of
whom work on farms or in the
forests, have built strong unions
and wrested excellent labor legis-
lation from the government. The
Confederation of Trade Unions,
known under it's Swedish initials
10, with a membership of over
l ,20O. 900 represents the majority
of organized workers, while the
farmers interests are vested in the
Rural Federation.
10 now controls one Of the
largest vening newspapers in
Sweden, Aftontidningen. Other
large organs, such as Dagens NY
heter and its evening subsidiary, ,
belonging to the Bon
nier trust, or such as StockhOlms- {
and Aftenbladet, con- ,