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Separation of power and expertise: Evidence of the tyranny of experts in Sweden's COVID‐19 responses

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  • Per L. Bylund
  • Mark D. Packard

Abstract

Whereas most countries in the COVID‐19 pandemic imposed shutdowns and curfews to mitigate the contagion, Sweden uniquely pursued a more voluntarist approach. In this article, our interest is primarily on how and why Sweden's approach to the pandemic was so unique. There are two parts to this research question: (1) why did virtually all other nations follow a radical lockdown protocol despite limited evidence to its effectiveness and (2) why did Sweden not follow this same protocol despite strong political pressures? The answers to these questions lie within typical government technocracy versus Sweden's constitutional separation of government and technocracy. We review the history of the responses to the pandemic and show how the “tyranny of experts” was severe within the typical technocratic policy response, and attenuated in Sweden's. Thus, the recent pandemic offers empirical evidence and insights regarding the role of Hayekian knowledge problems in engendering a technocratic “tyranny of experts” and how such effects can be structurally mitigated.

Suggested Citation

  • Per L. Bylund & Mark D. Packard, 2021. "Separation of power and expertise: Evidence of the tyranny of experts in Sweden's COVID‐19 responses," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1300-1319, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:87:y:2021:i:4:p:1300-1319
    DOI: 10.1002/soej.12493
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    Cited by:

    1. Antoci, Angelo & Sabatini, Fabio & Sacco, Pier Luigi & Sodini, Mauro, 2022. "Experts vs. policymakers in the COVID-19 policy response," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 22-39.
    2. Yujia Zhang & Zuwang Chu & Dongdong Song, 2022. "Review of the Law Popularizing Education on Administrative Compulsion in Response to Major Epidemic Situations in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Matteo Perini & Hein T. van Schie, 2024. "Rethinking the “Conspiracy Crisis”: Use and Misuse of “Conspiracy Theory” Labels After Covid‐19," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 12.
    4. Christopher J. Coyne & Thomas K. Duncan & Abigail R. Hall, 2021. "The political economy of state responses to infectious disease," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1119-1137, April.
    5. Abishek Choutagunta & G. P. Manish & Shruti Rajagopalan, 2021. "Battling COVID‐19 with dysfunctional federalism: Lessons from India," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1267-1299, April.
    6. Nicolás Cachanosky & Bryan P. Cutsinger & Thomas L. Hogan & William J. Luther & Alexander W. Salter, 2021. "The Federal Reserve's response to the COVID‐19 contraction: An initial appraisal," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1152-1174, April.
    7. Peter Boettke & Benjamin Powell, 2021. "The political economy of the COVID‐19 pandemic," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(4), pages 1090-1106, April.

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