Alcohol – A Successful Swedish Liberalisation
In the past 20 years Sweden has experienced a number of liberalisation measures in the alcohol field, mostly thanks to EU membership.
After 20 years of alcohol liberalisation, we note that many of the concerns of increasing violence and bad effects on public health were ill-founded.
Sweden has been able to implement a significant liberalisation of entertainment and alcohol sales without increases in violence, disease and mortality as feared. The conclusion of this should be to question the relevance of the old models, restrictions and monopolies, and to discuss the future of alcohol policy liberalisation that can make Sweden more fun and enjoyable.
About the author
Mattias Svensson is editor at the Swedish magazine Neo. His latest book is Glädjedödarna (Killjoys), a book on the history and effects on paternalism.