Abstract
This chapter uses the case of the first amalgamation reform in Sweden (1943-1952) to illustrate how a group of macrolevel variables derived from reform theory – urbanization, economic growth, and the expansion of the Welfare State – relate to the evolution of the local government system in Sweden in general and to the amalgamation reforms of its local governments in particular. Sweden is particularly useful as a case because it constitutes the archetype of a reform based on a rational design rhetoric. The teachings from this case are used to develop a set of general propositions to be tested in the last empirical chapter of this book using a larger set of countries.
Look at the order in which you do things.
—Brian Eno
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Notes
- 1.
Equal protection means that “the state itself must not interfere in the ability of groups to participate and it must also take action to ensure that rights and freedoms of one social group are not threatened by the actions of another group or individual” (Coppedge et al., 2021, p. 55).
- 2.
Equal access means that all groups in society enjoy equal de facto capabilities to participate, to serve in positions of political power, to put issues on the agenda and to influence policymaking (Coppedge et al., 2021).
- 3.
Equal distribution measures “the extent to which resources—both tangible and intangible—are distributed in society” (Coppedge et al., 2021, p. 56).
- 4.
Urbanization refers to the proportion of people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.
- 5.
According to the V-Dem: Varieties of Democracy Database, “the equal protection index varies from low to high (0–1) and it is formed by taking the point estimates from a Bayesian factor analysis model of the indicators for social class equality in respect for civil liberties, social group equality in respect for civil liberties and percent of population with weaker civil liberties (reverse coding)” (Coppedge et al., 2021, p. 55). It is calculated for the years 1789–2020. For further details cf. Sigman and Lindberg (2015, V-Dem Working Paper Series, 2015, p. 22).
- 6.
According to the V-Dem: Varieties of Democracy Database, “the equal access index varies from low to high (0–1) and it is formed by taking the point estimates from a Bayesian factor analysis model of the indicators power distributed by socioeconomic position, power distributed by social group, and power distributed by gender” (Coppedge et al., 2021, p. 56). It is calculated for the years 1789–2020. For further details cf. Sigman and Lindberg (2015).
- 7.
According to the V-Dem: Varieties of Democracy Database, “the equal distribution index varies from low to high (0–1) and it is formed by taking the point estimates from a Bayesian factor analysis model of the indicators for particularistic or public goods, means tested vs. universalistic welfare policies, educational equality and health equality” (Coppedge et al., 2021, p. 56). It is calculated for the years 1900–2020. For further details cf. Sigman and Lindberg (2015, V-Dem Working Paper Series, 2015, p. 22).
- 8.
Interestingly, municipal amalgamations generating territorial consolidation may have had the unintended effect of partially promoting neoliberal values. Following the amalgamation reform of the 1970s, Sweden experienced an increase in functional fragmentation, manifested through a significant rise in contracting out to the private sector during the 1980s (Bogason, 1996). This trend is also widely present in Denmark.
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Tavares, A. (2024). Taking Time and Space Seriously in the Study of Amalgamation Reforms: The Case of the Swedish Reform (1943–1952) and Its Implications for All Other Cases. In: Municipal Amalgamation Reforms. Palgrave Studies in Sub-National Governance. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54736-2_6
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