The Last Soviet States? Scandinavian Social Democracy

About this episode

The episode discusses the history and evolution of Scandinavian social democracy, focusing on Norway and Sweden.

Brage, Mikael and Rudy sit down to talk about Scandinavian social democracy, with a focus on Norway and Sweden. We discuss the periodization of social democracy, starting from the 1905 independence of Norway, through the first World War period, the rise of social democracy in the interwar period, the golden years and the unraveling. We discuss why social democracy was able to take hold in Scandinavia through several historic compromises, what the economics of the countries were, the limits of the politics and how the parties tried to transcend these limits, before concluding with the unraveling of the politics in the 80s. Bibliography: G. Esping-Andersen - Politics Against Markets: The Social Democratic Road to Power W. Korpi - The Democratic Class Struggle K. Ostbjerg - Rise and Fall of Swedish Social Democracy J. Pontusson - The Limits of Social Democracy: Investment Politics in Sweden M. Rasmussen, C. H. Knutsen - Reforming to Survive: The Bolshevik Origins of Social Policies F. Sejersted, M. Adams - The Age of Social Democracy

People in this episode

Host: Brage

Guests: Mikael, Rudy

Topics covered

• Scandinavian social democracy
• Norway
• Sweden
• political history
• economic policies
• social compromises

Keywords

• social democracy
• Scandinavia
• political history
• economic policies
• Norway
• Sweden
• interwar period
• 1980s politics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Norway, Sweden

Books & works: Politics Against Markets: The Social Democratic Road to Power, The Democratic Class Struggle, Rise and Fall of Swedish Social Democracy, The Limits of Social Democracy: Investment Politics in Sweden, Reforming to Survive: The Bolshevik Origins of Social Policies, The Age of Social Democracy

More episodes of Cosmopod

• Corbynism vs Partyism: the rise and demise of Your Party · May 20, 2026 · 1h 40m
• Communism = Soviets + Electrification: The Electric Grid · April 9, 2026 · 1h 37m
• The Marxist in Residence: an interview with David Harvey · March 27, 2026 · 1h 22m
• Interview: Oliver Larkin for Congress · March 11, 2026 · 1h 44m
• An Arduous March: The Development of North Korea's Political Economy · January 8, 2026 · 1h 50m
• Your Party Founding Conference: Fiasco or Triumph? [Stream audio] · December 12, 2025 · 2h 17m