Palme was a pivotal and polarizing[1] figure domestically as well as ininternational politics from the 1960s onward. He was steadfast in hisnon-alignment policy towards the superpowers, accompanied by support for numerousliberation movements followingdecolonization including, most controversially, economic and vocal support for a number ofThird World governments. He was the first Western head of government to visit Cuba afterits revolution, giving a speech inSantiago praising contemporaryCuban revolutionaries.
Palme's assassination on aStockholm street on 28 February 1986 was the first murder of a national leader in Sweden sinceGustav III in 1792, and had a great impact acrossScandinavia.[2] Local convict and addictChrister Pettersson was originally convicted of the murder inStockholm District Court but was unanimously acquitted by theSvea Court of Appeal. On 10 June 2020, Swedish prosecutors held a press conference to announce that there was "reasonable evidence" thatStig Engström had killed Palme.[3] As Engström had taken his own life in 2000, the authorities announced that the investigation into Palme's death was to be closed.[3] The 2020 conclusion has faced widespread criticism from lawyers, police officers and journalists, decrying the evidence as only circumstantial, and – by the prosecutors' own admission – too weak to ensure a trial had the suspect been alive.[4] The true identity of his assassin remains unknown.
Sven Olof Joachim Palme[5] was born on 30 January 1927[6] into an upper class, conservativeLutheran family in theÖstermalm district ofStockholm. The progenitor of thePalme family was skipper Palme Lydert ofYstad of eitherDutch orGerman ancestry. His sons adopted the surname Palme. Many of the early Palmes were vicars and judges inScania. One branch of the family, of which Olof Palme was part, and which became more affluent, relocated toKalmar; that branch is related to several other prominent Swedish families such as the Kreugers,von Sydows and theWallenbergs. His father,Gunnar Palme [sv] (1886–1934), was a businessman, son ofSven Theodore Palme [sv] (1854–1934) andSwedish-speaking Finnish BaronessHanna Maria von Born-Sarvilahti [fi] (1861–1959).[7] Through her, Olof Palme claimed ancestry from KingJohan III of Sweden, his father KingGustav Vasa of Sweden and KingFrederick I of Denmark andNorway. His mother, Elisabeth von Knieriem (1890–1972),[8] of the Knieriem family who originated fromQuedlinburg,[9] descended fromBaltic German burghers and clergy and had arrived in Sweden fromRussia as a refugee in 1915. Elisabeth's great-great-great grandfather Johann Melchior von Knieriem (1758–1817) had been ennobled by the EmperorAlexander I of Russia in 1814. The von Knieriem family does not count as members of any of theBaltic knighthoods.[citation needed] Palme's father died when he was seven years old.[6] Despite his background, his political orientation came to be influenced bySocial Democratic attitudes. His travels in theThird World, as well as the United States, where he saw deepeconomic inequality andracial segregation, helped to develop these views.
A sickly child, Olof Palme received his education from private tutors. Even as a child he gained knowledge of two foreign languages —German andEnglish. He studied atSigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket, one of Sweden's few residential high schools, and passed the university entrance examination with high marks at the age of 17. He was called up into the Army in January 1945 and did hiscompulsory military service atSvea Artillery Regiment between 1945 and 1947, becoming in 1956 a reserve officer with the rank ofCaptain in the Artillery. After he was discharged from military service in March 1947, he enrolled atStockholm University.[10][unreliable source?]
Palme as a student in 1944
On a scholarship, he studied atKenyon College, a small liberal arts school in centralOhio from 1947 to 1948, graduating with aBachelor of Arts degree.[11] Inspired by radical debate in the student community, he wrote a critical essay onFriedrich Hayek'sThe Road to Serfdom. Palme wrote his senior honour thesis on theUnited Auto Workers union, led at the time byWalter Reuther. After graduation, he traveled throughout the country and eventually ended up inDetroit, where his hero Reuther agreed to an interview which lasted several hours. In later years, Palme regularly remarked during his many subsequent American visits, that theUnited States had made him a socialist, a remark that often has caused confusion. Within the context of his American experience, it was not that Palme was repelled by what he found in America, but rather that he was inspired by it.[12]
Afterhitchhiking through the U.S. andMexico, he returned to Sweden to study law atStockholm University. In 1949 he became a member of theSwedish Social Democratic Party. During his time at university, Palme became involved in student politics, working with theSwedish National Union of Students. In 1951, he became a member of the social democratic student association in Stockholm, although it is asserted he did not attend their political meetings at the time. The following year he was elected President of the Swedish National Union of Students. As a student politician, he concentrated on international affairs and travelled across Europe.[10][unreliable source?]
Palme and his wifeLisbeth on their honeymoon in 1956
Palme attributed his becoming a social democrat to three major influences:
The time he spent in the United States in the 1940s made him realise how wide the class divide was in America, and the extent ofracism againstblack people.
In 1953, Palme was recruited by social democratic prime ministerTage Erlander to work as his personal secretary,[15] becoming the first of Erlander's large personal staff, a group of young aides such asIngvar Carlsson andBengt K. Å. Johansson,[16] a group that became known as "the boys".[17] From 1955 he was a board member of theSwedish Social Democratic Youth League and lectured at the Youth League CollegeBommersvik. He also was a member of the Worker's Educational Association.[citation needed]
In 1957 he was elected as a member of parliament (Swedish:riksdagsledamot)[18] representedJönköping County in the directly electedSecond Chamber (Andra kammaren) of theRiksdag. In the early 1960s Palme became a member of theAgency for International Assistance (NIB) and was in charge of inquiries into assistance to the developing countries and educational aid.[citation needed] In 1963, he became a member of the Cabinet asminister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office,[19] and retained his duties as a close political adviser to Prime MinisterTage Erlander. In 1965, he becameMinister of Communications.[20] One issue of special interest to him was the further development of radio and television, while ensuring their independence from commercial interests.[10] In 1967 he becameMinister of Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs,[20] and the following year, he becameMinister for Education and was the target of strong criticism from left-wing students protesting against the government's plans for university reform. The protests culminated with theoccupation of the Student Union Building in Stockholm; Palme came there and tried to comfort the students, urging them to use democratic methods for the pursuit of their cause.[21] On 21 February 1968, Palme participated in a protest in Stockholm against U.S. involvement in thewar in Vietnam together with the North Vietnamese ambassador to the Soviet Union,Nguyễn Thọ Chân. The protest was organized by theSwedish Committee for Vietnam and Palme and Nguyen were both invited as speakers. As a result of this, the U.S. recalledits Ambassador from Sweden and Palme was fiercely criticised by the opposition for his participation in the protest.[22][23]
Palme in 1968
When party leader Tage Erlander stepped down in 1969, Palme was elected as the new leader by the Social Democratic party congress and asked by kingGustaf VI Adolf to form a government and succeed Erlander as Prime Minister.[24] Prior to the selection of Palme,President of FinlandUrho Kekkonen asked Erlander who his successor would be, and Erlander gave evasive answers. Kekkonen then asked if it would be Palme, to which Erlander responded, "Never, he is far too intelligent for a Prime Minister".[25] Palme was later asked when Erlander first hinted to him that he wanted him to succeed him. Palme stated, "It never happened."[26]
Palme was very popular among the left, but harshly detested by liberals and conservatives.[27] This was due in part to his international activities, especially those directed against the US foreign policy, and in part to his aggressive and outspoken debating style.[28][29]
As leader of a new generation of Swedish Social Democrats, Palme was often described as a "revolutionary reformist" and self-identified as aprogressive.[30][31] Domestically, his leftist views, especially the drive to expand labour union influence over business ownership, engendered a great deal of hostility from the organized business community.[citation needed][32]
His reforms on the labour market included establishing a law which increasedjob security. In theSwedish 1973 general election, the Socialist-Communist and the Liberal-Conservative blocs got 175 places each in theRiksdag. The Palme cabinet continued to govern the country, but several times they had to draw lots to decide on some issues, although most important issues were decided through a consensus agreement.[33][self-published source] Tax rates also rose from being fairly low even by Western European standards to the highest levels in the Western world.[34]
Under Palme's premiership tenure, matters concerned withchild care centers,social security, protection of the elderly, accident safety, andhousing problems received special attention. Under Palme thepublic health system in Sweden became efficient, with the infant mortality rate standing at 12 per 1,000 live births.[35] An ambitiousredistributive programme was carried out, with special help provided to thedisabled, immigrants, the low paid, single-parent families, and the old.[36] TheSwedish welfare state was significantly expanded[37][page needed] from a position already one of the most far-reaching in the world during his time in office.[38][page needed] As noted by Isabela Mares, during the first half of the Seventies "the level of benefits provided by every subsystem of the welfare state improved significantly." Various policy changes increased the basic old-age pension replacement rate from 42% of the average wage in 1969 to 57%, while a health care reform carried out in 1974 integrated all health services and increased the minimum replacement rate from 64% to 90% of earnings. In 1974, supplementary unemployment assistance was established, providing benefits to those workers ineligible for existing benefits.[38][page needed] In 1971, eligibility for invalidity pensions was extended with greater opportunities for employees over the age of 60. In 1974, universal dental insurance was introduced, and former maternity benefits were replaced by a parental allowance. In 1974, housing allowances for families with children were raised and these allowances were extended to other low-income groups.[39] Childcare centres were also expanded under Palme, and separate taxation of husband and wife introduced.[40] Under Palme, over half of the Swedish economy was underpublic ownership, and the influence of the state had grown massively.[41] Access to pensions for older workers in poor health was liberalised in 1970, and a disability pension was introduced for older unemployed workers in 1972.[42]
The Palme cabinet was also active in the field of education, introducing such reforms as a system of loans and benefits for students, regional universities, and preschool for all children.[40] Under a law of 1970, in the upper secondary school system "gymnasium," “fackskola" and vocational "yrkesskola" were integrated to form one school with 3 sectors (arts and social science, technical and natural sciences, economic and commercial). In 1975, a law was passed that established free admission to universities.[39] A number of reforms were also carried out to enhance workers' rights. An employment protection Act of 1974 introduced rules regarding consultation with unions, notice periods, and grounds for dismissal, together with priority rules for dismissals and re-employment in case of redundancies.[43] That same year, work-environment improvement grants were introduced and made available to modernising firms "conditional upon the presence of union-appointed 'safety stewards' to review the introduction of new technology with regard to the health and safety of workers".[44] In 1976, an Act on co-determination at work was introduced that allowed unions to be consulted at various levels within companies before major changes were enforced that would affect employees, while management had to negotiate with labour for joint rights in all matters concerning organisation of work, hiring and firing, and key decisions affecting the workplace.[45]
Palme's last government, elected during a time when Sweden's economy was in difficult shape, sought to pursue a "third way," designed to stimulate investment, production, and employment, having ruled out classical Keynesian policies as a result of the growing burden of foreign debt, together with the big balance of payments and budget deficits. This involved "equality of sacrifice," wherebywage restraint would be accompanied by increases in welfare provision and moreprogressive taxation. For instance, taxes on wealth, gifts, and inheritance were increased, while tax benefits to shareholders were either reduced or eliminated. In addition, various welfare cuts carried out before Olof's return to office were rescinded. The previous system of indexing pensions and other benefits was restored, the grant-in-aid scheme for municipal child care facilities was re-established,unemployment insurance was restored in full, and the so-called "no benefit days" for those drawing sickness benefits were cancelled. Increases were also made to both food subsidies and child allowances, while the employee investment funds (which represented a radical form of profit-sharing) were introduced.[36][page needed]
In 1968, Palme was a driving force behind the release of the documentaryDom kallar oss mods ("They Call Us Misfits"). The controversial film, depicting two social outcasts, was scheduled to be released in an edited form but Palme thought the material was too socially important to be cut.[46]
An outspoken supporter of gender equality, Palme sparked interest for women's rights issues by attending a World Women's Conference inMexico. He also made a feminist speech called "The Emancipation of Man" at a meeting of theWoman's National Democratic Club on 8 June 1970; this speech was later published in 1972.[47][48]
As a forerunner ingreen politics, Palme was a firm believer innuclear power as a necessary form of energy, at least for a transitional period to curb the influence offossil fuel.[49] His intervention in Sweden's 1980 referendum on the future of nuclear power is often pinpointed by opponents of nuclear power as saving it. As of 2011, nuclear power remains one of the most important sources of clean energy in Sweden, much attributed to Palme's actions.[citation needed] Palme advocated for nuclear energy to move away from fossil fuels in his speech during the Stockholm Conference in 1972[50]
On the international scene, Palme was a widely recognised political figure because of his:
harsh and emotional criticism of the United States over theVietnam War;
vocal opposition to the crushing of thePrague Spring by the Soviet Union;
criticism of European Communist regimes, including labeling theHusák regime as "The Cattle of Dictatorship" (Swedish: "Diktaturens kreatur") in 1975;
campaigning against nuclear weapons proliferation;
criticism of theFranco Regime in Spain, calling the regime "goddamn murderers" (Swedish: "satans mördare"; seeSwedish profanity) after itsexecution ofETA andFRAP militants in September 1975;
opposition toapartheid, branding it as "a particularly gruesome system", and support foreconomic sanctions against South Africa;
Commemorative plaque on the place Olof Palme was assassinated
Political violence was little-known in Sweden at the time, and Olof Palme often went about without a bodyguard. Close to midnight on 28 February 1986, he was walking home from a cinema with his wifeLisbeth Palme in the central Stockholm streetSveavägen when he was shot in the back at close range. A second shot grazed Lisbeth's back.He was pronounced dead on arrival at theSabbatsberg Hospital at 00:06CET. Lisbeth survived without serious injuries.[57]
Deputy Prime MinisterIngvar Carlsson immediately assumed the duties of Prime Minister, a post he retained until 1991 (and then again in 1994–1996). He also took over the leadership of the Social Democratic Party, which he held until 1996.[58]
Two years later,Christer Pettersson (d. 2004), a murderer, small-time criminal and drug addict, was convicted of Palme's murder, but his conviction was overturned.[59] Another suspect,Victor Gunnarsson, emigrated to the United States, where he was the victim of an unrelated murder in 1993.[60] The assassination remained unsolved.[59]
A third and fourth suspect popularly referred to as "The Skandia Man" andGH, after their working place at theSkandia building next to the crime scene, and police investigation number ("H" representing the eighth letter, i.e. "Suspect Profile No. 8"), took their own lives in 2000 and 2008 respectively. Both fitted the suspect profile vaguely, and owned firearms.[61][62][63] GH was a long-time suspect partly because he had self-described financial motives, and owned the only registered.357 Magnum in theStockholm vicinity not tested and ruled out by authorities, which as yet has not been recovered.
On 18 March 2020, Swedish investigators met inPretoria with members of South African intelligence agencies to discuss the case. The South Africans handed over their file from 1986 to their Swedish colleagues.Göran Björkdahl, a Swedish diplomat, had done independent research on Palme's assassination. Major General Chris Thirion, who headed the military intelligence of South Africa during the final years ofapartheid rule, had told Björkdahl in 2015 that he believed South Africa was behind Palme's murder. Swedish investigators announced that they would reveal new information and close the case on 10 June 2020.[64] Earlier remarks by lead investigator Krister Petersson that "there might not be a prosecution" have led commentators to believe that the suspect is dead.[65]
On 10 June 2020, Swedish prosecutors stated publicly that they knew who had killed Palme and namedStig Engström, also known as "Skandia Man", as the assassin. Engström was one of about twenty people who had claimed to witness the assassination and was later identified as a potential suspect by Swedish writersLars Larsson andThomas Pettersson.[66] Given that Engström had committed suicide in 2000, the authorities also announced that the investigation into Palme's death was to be closed.[67]
Some politicians and journalists inTurkey relate the assassination of Palme toPKK since he was the first in Europe to designate PKK as a terrorist organisation.[68]
^Nordstrom, Byron (2000).Scandinavia Since 1500. University of Minnesota Press, p. 347. "The February 1986 murder of Sweden's Prime Minister Olof Palme near Sergelstorget in the middle of Stockholm's downtown shocked the nation and region. Political assassinations were virtually unheard-of in Scandinavia."
^Olof Ruin:Olof Palme. In: David Wilsford:Political Leaders of Contemporary Western Europe: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT 1995
^Hendrik Hertzberg, "Death of a Patriot", in: Idem:Politics. Observations and Arguments, 1966–2004 (New York: The Penguin Press, 2004) pp. 263–266, there 264
^"He was an atheist and saw war as the greatest threat to mankind. The popularity of the Swedish model society probably peaked in the early seventies, but Olof Palme tirelessly continued his development toward a society as he saw it." Jens Moe, My America: The Culture of Giving, page 155.
^Einhorn, Eric and John Logue (1989).Modern Welfare States: Politics and Policies in Social Democratic Scandinavia. Praeger Publishers, pg 60.ISBN0-275-93188-9 "Olof Palme was perhaps the most 'presidential' Scandinavian leader in recent decades, a fact that may have made him vulnerable to political violence."
^Tawat, Mahama (1 June 2019). "The Birth of Sweden's multicultural policy. The impact of Olof Palme and his ideas".International Journal of Cultural Policy:478–481.
^Daniel Ekeroth:Swedish Sensations Films: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema, (Bazillion Points, 2011)ISBN978-0-9796163-6-5.[page needed]
^abJenkins, Philip (1989). "The Assassination of Olaf Palme: Evidence and Ideology".Contemporary Crises.13 (1):15–33.doi:10.1007/bf00728874.S2CID143889005.
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Ruin, Olof. (1991). "Three Swedish Prime Ministers: Tage Erlander, Olof Palme and Ingvar Carlsson."West European Politics 14#3: pp. 58–82.doi:10.1080/01402389108424859
Sundström, Anna. "Looking Through Palme’s Vision for the Global Environment."Environmental Policy and Law 51.1–2 (2021): 83–90.
Tawat, Mahama. "The birth of Sweden’s multicultural policy. The impact of Olof Palme and his ideas."International Journal of Cultural Policy 25.4 (2019): 471–485.
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Gummesson, Jonas (2001),Olof Palmes ungdomsår : bland nazister och spioner, Stockholm: Ekerlid,ISBN978-91-88595-95-9
Haste, Hans; Olsson, Lars Erik; Strandberg, Lars; Adler, Arne (1986),Boken om Olof Palme : hans liv, hans gärning, hans död, Stockholm: Tiden,ISBN978-91-550-3218-0
Palme, Olof (1986),Politik är att vilja (3rd ed.), Stockholm: Prisma,ISBN978-91-518-2045-3
Palme, Olof (1986),Att vilja gå vidare (2nd ed.), Stockholm: Tiden,ISBN978-91-550-3224-1
Palme, Olof; Richard, Serge; Åkerman, Nordal (1977),Med egna ord : samtal med Serge Richard och Nordal Åkerman, Uppsala: Bromberg,ISBN978-91-85342-32-7
Palme, Olof; Dahlgren, Hans (1987),En levande vilja, Stockholm: Tiden,ISBN978-91-550-3225-8
Palme, Olof; Hansson, Sven Ove; Dahlgren, Hans (1996),Palme själv : texter i urval, Stockholm: Tiden,ISBN978-91-518-2947-0
Palme, Olof (2006),Solidaritet utan gränser : tal och texter i urval, Stockholm: Atlas,ISBN978-9173892193
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