The Swedish social democrats and the legacy of continuous reform: Asset or dilemma?

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Abstract
Programmatic renewal has rarely been considered as a contributing factor to the long reign of the Swedish Social Democrats; yet an intriguing pattern of innovation and continuous reform has evolved since the party came to power in the early 1930s. This analysis addresses the issue of whether such a pattern emerged during the formulation of the party's most recent programmes. It outlines the Social Democrats' current ideological stance ‐focusing on their vision of the good society and the major goals and policy recommendations for the 1990s. The concluding section discusses the intellectual and tactical implications of the renewal process and the resulting contradictions.