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'Like Locusts on the Mississippi' : A Pioneer Study of the Expansion of the Swedish Public Sector

Carlson, Benny LU and Lundahl, Mats (2020) In Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift 122(2). p.161-182
Abstract
In 1962, the first thorough investigation into the expansion of the Swedish public sector was presented as a doctoral dissertation by Erik Höök. This article investigates the origin and reception of this thesis. Höök’s work has been consid ered a standard work of financial statistics. However, it attracted heavy criticism in the media and from other academics for having explained the public sector expansion as being almost exclusively driven by demand, neglecting the supply side and the role of politicians. Liberals, Conservatives and Social Democrats all reacted – although for different reasons – against the idea that an ever-growing welfare state was fated. The debate thus revolved around what would eventually, by James Buchanan, be... (More)
In 1962, the first thorough investigation into the expansion of the Swedish public sector was presented as a doctoral dissertation by Erik Höök. This article investigates the origin and reception of this thesis. Höök’s work has been consid ered a standard work of financial statistics. However, it attracted heavy criticism in the media and from other academics for having explained the public sector expansion as being almost exclusively driven by demand, neglecting the supply side and the role of politicians. Liberals, Conservatives and Social Democrats all reacted – although for different reasons – against the idea that an ever-growing welfare state was fated. The debate thus revolved around what would eventually, by James Buchanan, be designated as responsive (demand-driven) and excessive (supply-driven) public sector expansion. Höök was furthermore optimistic about the prospects of increased public sector productivity and sceptical towards Ingvar Svennilson’s ‘Iron Law of Costs’, a precursor of William Baumol’s Cost Disease. (Less)
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift
volume
122
issue
2
pages
161 - 182
publisher
Fahlbeckska stiftelsen
ISSN
0039-0747
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
716c60b8-6837-4f69-a36b-a929136f26af
alternative location
https://journals.lub.lu.se/st/article/view/21984/19765
date added to LUP
2020-07-22 19:00:14
date last changed
2020-07-28 14:42:38
@article{716c60b8-6837-4f69-a36b-a929136f26af,
  abstract     = {{In 1962, the first thorough investigation into the expansion of the Swedish public sector was presented as a doctoral dissertation by Erik Höök. This article investigates the origin and reception of this thesis. Höök’s work has been consid ered a standard work of financial statistics. However, it attracted heavy criticism in the media and from other academics for having explained the public sector expansion as being almost exclusively driven by demand, neglecting the supply side and the role of politicians. Liberals, Conservatives and Social Democrats all reacted – although for different reasons – against the idea that an ever-growing welfare state was fated. The debate thus revolved around what would eventually, by James Buchanan, be designated as responsive (demand-driven) and excessive (supply-driven) public sector expansion. Höök was furthermore optimistic about the prospects of increased public sector productivity and sceptical towards Ingvar Svennilson’s ‘Iron Law of Costs’, a precursor of William Baumol’s Cost Disease.}},
  author       = {{Carlson, Benny and Lundahl, Mats}},
  issn         = {{0039-0747}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{161--182}},
  publisher    = {{Fahlbeckska stiftelsen}},
  series       = {{Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift}},
  title        = {{'Like Locusts on the Mississippi' : A Pioneer Study of the Expansion of the Swedish Public Sector}},
  url          = {{https://journals.lub.lu.se/st/article/view/21984/19765}},
  volume       = {{122}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}