IFN in the Press

The US embrace of power politics in the trade arena violates both the letter and spirit of the WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, undermining the integrity of the multilateral trading system. This column suggests that such violations are unlikely to cease in the foreseeable future, skriver Henrik Horn, professor i internationell ekonomi vid IFN, i VoxEU.

Lars Calmfors, IFN, writes a kolumn in VoxEU on the Nordic model of wage coordination at a crossroads.

"In Denmark, the problem has become particularly topical with the many rumors about Frederiksen and Løkke's interest in international top positions," writes Christian Bjørnskov, Professor at Aarhus University and affiliated researcher at IFN, in the Danish newspaper Dagbladet Børsen.

The study "Economic freedom and academic freedom across nations" written by Niclas Berggren, researcher at IFN, and Christian Bjørnskov, affiliated researcher at IFN, is mentioned in the Czech publication Vedavyzkum. They examined data from 127 countries around the world from 2010 to 2015. The authors emphasize that the connection between these two forms of freedom can contribute to the creation of new ideas that lead to technological innovation.

Siinä missä yhdysvaltalaiset yritykset voivat kasvaa joustavasti osavaltioiden rajojen yli ja samalla vahvistua riittävän suuriksi toimijoiksi globaalisti, eurooppalaiset yritykset kohtaavat erilaisia byrokraattisia esteitä laajentaessaan toimintaansa EU:n sisällä, kirjoittavat Ari Hyytinen ja Joacim Tåg.

Michael Sherman, Skeptic Magazine, and Daniel Waldenström, researcher at IFN, discuss the contents of Waldenström's new book ”Richer and More Equal”.

The Spanish economic news site Libre Mercado has published a long interview with Professor Daniel Waldenström about wealth and equality: "The Swedish expert who has definitively disproven Piketty's and the radical left's theses about the 'explosion of inequality' in the West."

Stone Center Affiliated Scholar Daniel Waldenström argues in his new book, Richer and More Equal: A New History of Wealth in the West, that Western society — particularly the middle class — is not only wealthier now than a century ago, but that wealth inequality has declined. Stone Center Senior Scholar Salvatore Morelli, the director of the GC Wealth Project, joins him in a discussion of the positive and negative aspects of wealth accumulation, what Waldenström calls the “old narrative” of the wealth distribution over the last 130 years, and whether to include public pensions in wealth measurements.

Daniel Freeman of the Institute of Economic Affairs interviews Professor Daniel Waldenström, researcher at IFN, about his new book, "Richer & More Equal: A New History of Wealth in the West".  Waldenström's research suggests that wealth inequality has decreased over the past century, with the middle class experiencing significant growth in wealth accumulation.

Daniel Waldenström, a professor of economics and reasearcher at the Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN), joins Human Progress podcast to discuss the decline of wealth inequality in the Western world.

Magnus Henrekson, IFN, is referred to in an article in Bloomberg News.

Joacim Tåg, IFN, Matti Keloharju and Samuli Knüpfer, Aalto University School of Business in Finland and affiliated to IFN, writes a column in VoxEU on reassessing the mental health crisis among PhD students.

This essay argues that market competition promotes trust and honesty. Contrary to common belief, competition does not erode trust; rather, it compels businesses to fulfill promises and maintain reputations, fostering trust with consumers and employees. Studies and experiments, some by IFN researchers, show that market institutions and processes tend to increase trust, making market participants more trustworthy, both in local and global contexts.

S’appuyant sur les analyses de l’économiste français, les contempteurs du libéralisme dénoncent la croissance des inégalités. Pour l’économiste suédois Daniel Waldenström, Piketty se serait pourtant trompé.

The US and its allies risk paying a higher longer-term price if they fail to repel Russian aggression.

Alexander Ljungqvist, Lars Persson and Joacim Tåg, suggest that the disappearance of markets may reduce public support for business-friendly government policies, as voters benefit less from corporate profits.

Elon Musk is at war with a group of Swedish workers. The billionaire's EV company, Tesla, faces a wave of strikes across the nation. Business Insider interviewed Lars Calmfors, researcher at IFN, concerning the situation. 

Swedish krona or Euro? Lars Calmfors, researcher at IFN, who investigated whether Sweden should join the single European currency on behalf of the government in the 1990s, in interviewed in Sveriges Radio, and says that he is in favour for economic reasons. 

The maternal mortality rate in the US is three to four times higher than in comparable rich countries. Moreover, it is much higher for African American women than for white women, as well as for low-income African American women. How does this come about? Petra Persson, affiliated researcher at IFN, discusses this in the podcast Econofact.

Negotiations on a new wage agreement between Swedish trade unions and employers within the  industry department are in full swing. The agreed wage increases will set the level for the rest of the labor market in Sweden. Lars Calmfors, researcher at IFN, told SVT that wage increases probably will be far from inflation.

Spain has recently eliminated the food VAT, and Coop’s CEO has also suggested a similar proposal to the Minister of Finance. But Daniel Waldenström, professor at IFN,  says to SVT that reducing food VAT is not an effective way to assist the poorest and should not be prioritized.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war one year ago, eight million Ukrainians have left the country. But how many Ukrainians want to leave the country permanently? And to which destination countries? These questions are asked by Olle Hammar, researcher at IFN, among others in VoxUkraine.

Eva Forslund and Magnus Henrekson, IFN, write an article in Danish Dagbladet.

Lars Calmfors, Stockholms universitet and IFN, is interviewed by Finnish Yle.

Per Skedinger, IFN, is interviewed by Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

Eva Forslund and Magnus Henrekson, IFN, write a column in BusinessWorld.

Magnus Henrekson's and Johan Wennström's book Dumbing Down: The Crisis of Quality and Equity in a Once-Great Shool System – and How to Reverse the Trend, is reviewed in The Independent Review.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, and Spencer Bastani, affilitadt to IFN, are referred to in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Johan Wennström, IFN, is interviewed by The European Conservative on his and co-author Magnus Henrekson's book Dumbing Down.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, and Spencer Bastani, IFAU and affiliated to IFN, write a column on the ability gradient in tax responsiveness in Vox EU.

Magnus Henrekson, IFN, writes about the importance of jobs in Quillette.

Ann-Sofie Isaksson, Gothenburg University and affilitated to IFN, is mentioned in The Economist.

Joacim Tåg, IFN, and Luca Coraggio, University of Naples Federico II, Marco Pagano, University of Naples Federico II, CEPR, and affiliated with IFN, and Annalisa Scognamiglio, University of Naples Federico II and affiliated with IFN, write a column in Vox EU.

Magnus Henrekson's and Johan Wennström's book Dumbing Down: The Crisis of Quality and Equity in a Once-Great Shool System – and How to Reverse the Trend, is reviewed in The Critic.

Mårten Blix, ex IFN, now Ratio, is interviewed in Neu Züricher Zeitung about his and Henrik Jordahl's book Privatizing Welfare Services: Lessons from the Swedish Experiment.

Lars Calmfors, IFN and Stockholm University, is interviewed by Ouest France on Sweden's decision to not join the European Monetary Union:

Magnus Henrekson, IFN, is interviewed by French TV Channel Arte.

Magnus Henrekson, IFN, is interviewed by German TV ZDF.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, is interviewed by french magazine Atlantico.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, writes a column on wealth in Vox EU.

Magnus Henrekson, IFN, is interviewed in ABC National Radio's podcast Counterpoint.

Magnus Henrekson, IFN, writes about power in Quillette.

Joacim Tåg, IFN, is interviewed by The Local.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, writes about income inequality in Vox EU.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, is mentioned in Radio Sweden, the English version of Swedish National Radio.

Roger Svensson, IFN, writes an opinion piece on bitcoin in Financial Times.

Daniel Waldenström, IFN, is interviewed on capital taxation by Bloomberg.

Research by  Daniel Waldenström, IFN, och Spencer Bastani, IFAU and affiliated with IFN, is referred to in The Economist.

Matilda Orth, IFN, and Florin Maican, affiliated to the IFN have written a column on the dynamic impact of exporting on firm R&D investment in Vox EU. Together with their co-authors Mark Roberts, Pennsylvania State University, and Van Anh Vuong, Maastricht University they use a structural framework to estimate the returns to innovation investments and analyze the impact of trade of those returns.

Read the column here

Lars Calmfors, IFN and University of Stockholm is interviewed by German paper Capital on the Covid crisis:

"Im Vergleich mit anderen Ländern, hat es Schweden wirtschaftlich nicht so hart getroffen“, sagt auch Lars Calmfors, Ökonom und Professor am Institute for International Economic Studies der Stockholm University. Es sei aber schwierig zu sagen, inwiefern das allein mit der schwedischen Strategie zusammenhänge. „Da spielen viele weitere Faktoren hinein: ökonomische Strukturen, fiskale Unterstützungsmaßnahmen, die Ausbreitung des Virus“, sagt er. Betroffen seien vor allem die Bereiche der Wirtschaft, die direkten Kontakt erfordern, wie der Tourismus, die Eventbranche und die Gastronomie. Der Industrie gehe es hingegen nach einem Einbruch im Frühjahr besser und auch der Onlinehandel sei deutlich gewachsen. Mit Blick auf die hohen Infektions- und Todeszahlen gibt er aber zu bedenken: „Wir haben ökonomisch vielleicht etwas gewonnen, aber der Preis dafür war mit Blick auf verlorene Menschenleben sehr hoch.“

Compared to other countries, Sweden has not been hit so hard economically," says Lars Calmfors, economist and professor at the Institute for International Economic Studies at Stockholm University. But it is difficult to say to what extent this is solely related to the Swedish strategy. "Many other factors play a role here: economic structures, fiscal support measures, the spread of the virus," he says. The areas of the economy that require direct contact, such as tourism, the event industry and gastronomy, are particularly affected. The industry, however, is doing better after a slump in spring and online trading has also grown significantly. With a view to the high number of infections and deaths, however, he points out: "We may have won something economically, but the price for it was very high in terms of human lives lost.

Read the article here ( in German)