Bo Södersten from Left to Right

"Mats Lundahl has written a wonderful book about one of the most charismatic Swedish intellectuals of the 20th century."

—Fredrik Sjöholm, Professor of Economics and CEO at the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN), Stockholm

"Mats Lundahl has written a very thorough and lively story of my old favorite enemy Bo Södersten, a story which also brings to life the ideological march of the Swedish Social Democracy from Socialism to socially embedded capitalism."

—Johan Lönnroth, Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg, Ex-Vice President of the Swedish Left Party

"Mats Lundahl has written a wonderful book about this extraordinary person."

—Karolina Ekholm, Professor of Economics, Stockholm University and Director General, Swedish National Debt Office

This book explores the economic work and legacy of Bo Södersten. While best known internationally for his textbook International Economics, Södersten’s influence stretches well beyond this. Through his academic work and newspaper articles, he covered a wide spectrum of topics that often challenged conventional wisdom. By examining his work on housing, the labor-managed economy, development economics, nuclear power, childcare, and higher education, a full view of his diverse work is presented.

This book aims to provide insight into the motivations and impact of Bo Södersten during each phase of his life: his academic career, his political life, and his time as a debater-provocateur. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in Swedish economics, the history of economic thought, and international economics.

Mats Lundahl is Professor emeritus of Development Economics at the Stockholm School of Economics, where he held his chair between 1987 and 2013.