The aim of this study was provide answers to two research questions. While the first one is concerned with the causes of the remarkable macroeconomic resilience of the Nordic EU-countries since the mid-1990s, the second one is related to the sustainability of a high degree of government activity...

The remarkable success of Sweden over the past 15 years has come after decades of sluggish growth, during which Sweden managed to lose its substantial lead in per-capita income. This fits to the critique that welfare cost and high taxes reduce growth and endangers competitiveness. Since that...

An Englishman once watched his first American football game. He looked intently as the team gathered into a huddle after each play. His American host asked him what he thought of the proceedings. "Not a bad sport", remarked the visitor, "but they do seem to engage in an excessive number of...