A mutual commitment? The state, the K-companies and the Swedish economic defense 1962–2002

Description

The project examines the so-called K-companies - the crisis- and war-important companies - in the construction and decommissioning of economic defense during the period 1962–2002. The K-companies in 5 counties (Värmland, Örebro, Kopparberg, Jönköping and Västerbotten) and their interaction with the state authorities at different levels that were responsible for economic defense will be studied.

A central factor behind the economic defense was the ability of the actors to balance the K-companies' situation in peacetime with the overall demands placed on economic defense. The structure of economic defense is described as a continuous negotiation between the K-companies and the state, where the K-companies' at different levels. The project contributes knowledge that is relevant as it highlights problems that today's politicians and decision-makers must take into account in order to be able to create a sustainable crisis supply in the future.

Experience from the Covid 19 pandemic, as well the Russian invasion of Ukraine shows that there has been a weak awareness how social change in recent decades shaped the conditions bringing Sweden previously having one of the world's strongest civil defenses. We will highlight the interaction between the private and the public sector and the integration of the business community into the economic defense.

Further, new economic-historical knowledge about the relations between government and business in Sweden will be developed from an international perspective.