Ernst Wigforss idéer: En idéanalys av Wigforss med fokus på finanspolitiska brytpunkter

Sammanfattning

The strength of a nation’s control of the fiscal economy affects not only the nation, but also individual citizens. How to develop, support and maintain a strong national economy that also affords the individual citizen a good standard of living has challenged economists over the past century and longer. This bachelor thesis examines whether the ideas of Ernst Wigforss, a former Swedish Minister of Finance (1933–1949), have had a long-term impact on Swedish fiscal policy. Wigforss has been relatively ignored in research, and this bachelor’s thesis also aims to redress this neglect. To address the question of Wigforss’ impact during the 20th century, an idea analysis at three points in time (1937, 1973 and 1997) has been conducted. These dates were picked out from an interpretive framework as represented historical points during the 20th century coupled with clear transformations in fiscal policy. The empirical data that was the base for the analysis were Wigforss ideas and Swedish parliamentary papers. This analysis shows that Wigforss’ fiscal ideas and specifically his thoughts relating to the important of a policy supporting expansive fiscal policy played a major role in Sweden’s fiscal policy until the end of the 1990s. Yet, after the fiscal policy reform in 1997, the ideas of Wigforss are no longer evident in the development or the presentation of Swedish fiscal policy.