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The People’s Library and the Electronic Workshop: Comparing Swedish and British Social Democracy

Author

Listed:
  • Jenny Andersson

    (Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, jenny.andersson@ekhist.uu.se)

Abstract

This article explores the role of ideological heritages—ideologies past—in the political discourse of the Third Way and points to the divergence between social democratic parties in their interpretation of change. The cases are New Labour and the Swedish SAP, cases that display important differences in interpretations of the knowledge economy and its implications for social change. The people’s library and the electronic workshop, as the metaphors the parties use to describe the knowledge economy, contain different future visions, and echo politics of the past. The people’s library plays on the historical Swedish notion of a people’s home, whereas the electronic workshop draws on a British past of industrial progress and capitalist entrepreneurship, values that have been placed at the heart of New Labour debates on welfare state change. These metaphors serve as the point of departure for the discussion.

Suggested Citation

  • Jenny Andersson, 2006. "The People’s Library and the Electronic Workshop: Comparing Swedish and British Social Democracy," Politics & Society, , vol. 34(3), pages 431-460, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:polsoc:v:34:y:2006:i:3:p:431-460
    DOI: 10.1177/0032329206290472
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonas Pontusson, 1992. "At the End of the Third Road: Swedish Social Democracy in Crisis," Politics & Society, , vol. 20(3), pages 305-332, September.
    2. Ferrera, Maurizio & Hemerijck, Anton & Rhodes, Martin, 2000. "Recasting European Welfare States for the 21st Century," European Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 427-446, July.
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