jfv wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 6:43 am
^ I need to do more research on political parties in Sweden. I just read an article about the election results and am very confused.
Crash course, unapologetically biased:
Social Democrats / Labour - Massively powerful at points during the 50s, 60s and 70s. Huge fixture of the historical imagination, as builders of the modern, democratic nation. Took the Third Way trajectory like everybody else. Comprises lots of peripheral associations (unions, education societies, newspapers) that are not nearly as large and popular as they once were but maintain prestige and function as blue prints for associational life. For the past 15 years they have appeared feeble and insecure, with little of active, aspirational politics and more of opportunistically embracing cultural nationalism and engaging in territorial, union-busting triangulation. At present they have extremely low support, comparatively.
Left - Ex-eurocommunist. Left socdems. Their most valuable contributions imo are the re-politicization of the workday (campaigning for 6hrs), free-of-charge public transportation and issues centering on the housing market. Important as a left opposition, but also a bit undisciplined and moralizing and often lacking bite. Quite weak numerically but can sometimes leverage their position by Labour being dependent on their support, although also often shunned by Labour for petty reasons. Their greatest support is in the north (mining towns) and the low-income suburbs.
Greens - What it sounds like. Hugely popular relatively speaking around 2006-2010, now struggling to remain in parliament. Don't know what happened.
Centre - Historically the rural party. Anti-regulation with something of a social consciousness, plus pro-environmental. The most aggressively anti-union party in parliament. Stands out on the right side as steadfastly refusing collaboration with the far right. For this reason part of a Labour/Left/Green coalition in the last government, and probably will be again.
Liberal - Liberal-internationalist/imperialist. Historical prestige as part of the early pro-democracy movement. Pro-EU, pro-NATO. Pathetically tiny currently.
Moderates - The main centre-right party. Liberal-conservative to right-wing. Set to co-govern with the far right.
Christian Democrats - Conservative, localist. When in 2011 a law was rescinded that required persons starting medical gender transition to undergo sterilization, this party were the only ones expressing continued reservation. There are a few nests of concentrated support around the country (the west coast archipelago, close to where I live, being one), but mostly afaik they remain in parliament due to tactical right votes.
Sweden Democrats - Contemptible.
jfv wrote: Mon Sep 12, 2022 6:43 amIt certainly does not seem that Sweden is suffering from a lack of political parties, unlike the USA.
Correct, which is why I think Americans are barking up the wrong tree when they pine for a third party. Sort of - in the US context it's probably true that there are significant contingents that need to be represented but aren't, that the way things are structured prevents change that needs to happen from actually happening. There is nothing guaranteeing however that more parties will solve problems like this, or that it will give people a greater sense of influence and of having one's viewpoint heard. I have always registered a similar kind of resigned dissatisfaction among the Swedish electorate.
So to put it differently: For someone living in the US wishing for a third party I would suggest pondering whether this will actually solve what they hope it will solve, or if it's a hope for a magic cure.