Sweden spends more than 30 percent of its GDP on social welfare programs like health care, housing assistance, and elder care. This hefty spending to benefit the collective is the highest in the world and has enjoyed widespread support, but contemporary immigration trends may be making waves.
Until recently, Sweden was very ethnically and racially homogeneous, contributing to a feeling among Swedes that “we’re all in the same boat.” In 1970, under 3 percent of the Swedish population was born outside of the Nordic countries. In this atmosphere, support for collective spending flourished. By 2006, however, close to 10 percent of the population had non-Nordic origins, with a dramatic increase in immigrants and refugees from North Africa and the Middle East.
Combining a national attitude survey with census data about immigration patterns, Maureen A. Eger (European Sociological Review, 2010) finds people living in regions with more minority groups are less likely to support social welfare. Eger argues that increased immigration to Sweden may make differences and boundaries more salient, which then may decrease support for spending on social welfare designed to help those who are “different.” It remains to be seen what this public opinion trend means for actual social welfare policy in Sweden. This research suggests, though, that it may not all be smooth sailing. S.G.
