An exploratory study on the sustainability of the Swedish welfare model.

Sweden, a small but affluent society, is the epitome of the modern welfare state. Through the efforts of the Social Democratic Party, Sweden was able to have a highly developed welfare system. Dubbed as the Swedish Welfare Model, it is characterized by high taxes, a large public sector, and generous welfare banefits. This was financed through continued economic growth during the 1950s and 60x. But since the 1970s, recurring economic recessions have caused Swedes to reevaluate their position. The Social Democratic Party, which has been in power since 1932, lost the majority in 1976. They also lost their majority in Parliament and in Government in the 1979 and 1991 elections. With these changes in Government, threats to the Swedish Welfare Model surfaced, that is, the gaining of control of the government of the non-socialist parties. But no radical changes have been made during these non-socialist administrations. The Social Democratic Party once again enjoyed the support of the voters in the 1994 and 1998 elections. This paper aims to answer if the Swedish Welfare Model is likely to be sustained based on the political party preferences of voters from the 1945 to 1998 elections. Based on the data analyzed through multiple regression, the Swedish Welfare Model is likely to be sustained because of 3 reasons: First, the inability of the non-socialist parties to form a Government, second, the Swedish Welfare Model has been tightly integrated in the Swedish society, and third, the Swedish economy continues to project economic growth. Thus, its main proponent, the Social Democratic Partly, is unlikely to be removed from its position in Government