Local level state capacity

Description

The project studies how Swedish municipalities financed infrastructure investments between 1862 and 1945. During this period, major investments were made that required new financial and institutional solutions. By examining the principles according to which the municipalities acted on the financial market, it is possible to gain insights into an important period in the emergence of modern Sweden and a deeper understanding of the factors required to provide public goods. The project can thus contribute to an international literature on institutions, the public sector and growth, and to a new perspective on Swedish history.