Difference between revisions of "Olof Palme"

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[[File:Olof_Palme.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Olof Palme: Eliminated by Apartheid South Africa]]
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'''Sven Olof Joachim Palme''' (30 January 1927 – 28 February 1986) was a Swedish politician, statesman and prime minister. A longtime protégé of Prime Minister Tage Erlander, Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 to his assassination in 1986, and was a two-term Prime Minister of Sweden, heading a Privy Council Government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet government from 1982 until his death. Electoral defeats in 1976 and 1979 marked the end of Social Democratic hegemony in Swedish politics, which had seen 40 years of unbroken rule by the party. While leader of opposition, he parted domestic and international interests and served as special mediator of the United Nations in the Iran–Iraq War, but returned to power as Prime Minister after stunning electoral victories in 1982 and 1985.
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|name=Olof Palme
 +
|birth_name=Sven Olof Joachim Palme
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|birth_date=30 January 1927
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|death_date=28 February 1986
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|death_cause=Olof Palme/Assassination
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|isgp=https://isgp-studies.com/DL_1986-02-28-olof-palme-assassination-cia-p2.php
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|image=Olof_Palme.jpg
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|political_party=Swedish Social Democratic Party
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|nationality=Swedish
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|victim_of=assassination
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|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olof_Palme
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|description=Leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969, and two-term Prime Minister, until his assassination in 1986.
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|spouses=Lisbet Palme
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|alma_mater=Stockholm University, Kenyon College
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|website=http://www.palmecenter.org
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|birth_place=Stockholm, Sweden
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|death_place=Stockholm, Sweden
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|political_parties=Swedish Social Democratic Party
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|children=Joakim, Mårten, Mattias
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|sourcewatch=http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Olof_Palme
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|wikiquote=http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Olof_Palme
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|employment={{job
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|title=Prime Minister of Sweden
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|start=14 October 1969
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|end=8 October 1976
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}}{{job
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|title=Prime Minister of Sweden
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|start=8 October 1982
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|end=28 February 1986
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}}{{job
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|title=Swedish Social Democratic Party/Leader
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|start=14 October 1969
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|end=28 February 1986
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}}{{job
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|title=President of the Nordic Council
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|start=1979
 +
|end=1979
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}}
 +
}}
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'''Olof Palme''' led the Swedish [[Social Democratic Party]] from [[1969]] to his [[assassination]] in [[1986]], and was a two-term Prime Minister of [[Sweden]], heading a Privy Council government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet government from 1982 until his death. Electoral defeats in 1976 and [[1979]] marked the end of Social Democratic hegemony in Swedish politics, which had seen 40 years of unbroken rule by the party.
  
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A pivotal, renowned, and polarizing figure domestically as well as in international politics since the 1960s, Palme was steadfast in his non-alignment policy towards the superpowers, juxtaposed to support of numerous third world liberation movements following the process of decolonization including, most controversially, economic and vocal support for a number of non-democratic anti-imperialist regimes.
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While leader of the opposition, Olof Palme divided domestic and international interests and served as special mediator of the [[United Nations]] in the [[Iran–Iraq War]], but returned to power as Prime Minister after stunning electoral victories in 1982 and [[1985]].
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Frequently a critic of both US and Soviet foreign policy, he resorted to fierce and often polarizing criticism in pinpointing his resistance towards imperialist ambitions and authoritarian regimes, including those of Franco's of Spain, Husák's Czechos-lovakia, and B J Vorster and [[P W Botha]] of South Africa. Palme's steadfast opposition to apartheid, which he labeled "a particularly gruesome system", has given rise to theories of South African involvement in his death. His murder by an unapprehended assailant on a street in Stockholm on 28 February 1986 was the first of its kind in modern Swedish history, the first of a national leader since Gustav III, and had a great impact across Scandinavia.<ref>Nordstrom, Byron (2000). ''Scandinavia Since 1500''. University of Minnesota Press, pg. 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."</ref>
 
  
 
== Early life ==
 
== Early life ==
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Palme was born into an upper-class, conservative family in Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden. His father, a businessman, was of Dutch ancestry, and his mother, Freiin von Knieriem, was of Baltic German origin and had arrived in Sweden as a refugee in 1915. Great-grandfather Alexander von Knieriem (1837 - 1904) was an attorney general of the Senate of Russian Empire, senator and member of the State Council of Imperial Russia.<ref>[http://greatrussianpeople.ru/info7061.html Palme's ancestry]</ref> Palme's father died when he was six years old. Despite his upper-class background, his political orientation came to be influenced by Social Democratic attitudes. His travels in the Third World, as well as the United States, where he saw deep economic inequality and racial segregation, helped to develop these views.
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Olof Palme was born into an upper-class, conservative family in Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden. His father, a businessman, was of Dutch ancestry, and his mother, Freiin von Knieriem, was of Baltic German origin and had arrived in Sweden as a refugee in 1915. Great-grandfather Alexander von Knieriem (1837 - 1904) was an attorney general of the Senate of Russian Empire, senator and member of the State Council of Imperial Russia.<ref>[http://greatrussianpeople.ru/info7061.html Palme's ancestry]</ref> Palme's father died when he was six years old. Despite his upper-class background, his political orientation came to be influenced by Social Democratic attitudes. His travels in the Third World, as well as the United States, where he saw deep economic inequality and racial 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. He studied at the Sigtuna School of Liberal Arts, one of Sweden's few residential high schools, and passed the university entrance examination with high marks at the early age of 17. He did his military service and became a reserve officer with the rank of captain. After military service he enrolled at the University of Stockholm.<ref name="Httpwwwunostampsnlperson_palmehtm">[http://www.unostamps.nl/person_palme.htm Military service]</ref>
 
A sickly child, Olof Palme received his education from private tutors. Even as a child he gained knowledge of two foreign languages. He studied at the Sigtuna School of Liberal Arts, one of Sweden's few residential high schools, and passed the university entrance examination with high marks at the early age of 17. He did his military service and became a reserve officer with the rank of captain. After military service he enrolled at the University of Stockholm.<ref name="Httpwwwunostampsnlperson_palmehtm">[http://www.unostamps.nl/person_palme.htm Military service]</ref>
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On a scholarship, he studied at Kenyon College, Ohio 1947–1948, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.<ref>[http://www.kenyon.edu/x11211.xml Kenyon College web page]</ref> Inspired by radical debate in the student community, he wrote a critical essay on Friedrich Hayek's ''The Road to Serfdom''. Palme wrote his senior honor thesis on the United Auto Workers union, led at the time by Walter Reuther. After graduation he travelled throughout the country and eventually ended up in Detroit, 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 the United 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.<ref>[[Hendrik Hertzberg]], “Death of a Patriot”, in: Idem, Politics. Observations and Arguments, 1966-2004 (New York: The Penguin Press, 2004) 263-266, there 264</ref>
 
On a scholarship, he studied at Kenyon College, Ohio 1947–1948, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.<ref>[http://www.kenyon.edu/x11211.xml Kenyon College web page]</ref> Inspired by radical debate in the student community, he wrote a critical essay on Friedrich Hayek's ''The Road to Serfdom''. Palme wrote his senior honor thesis on the United Auto Workers union, led at the time by Walter Reuther. After graduation he travelled throughout the country and eventually ended up in Detroit, 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 the United 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.<ref>[[Hendrik Hertzberg]], “Death of a Patriot”, in: Idem, Politics. Observations and Arguments, 1966-2004 (New York: The Penguin Press, 2004) 263-266, there 264</ref>
  
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After hitchhiking through the USA and Mexico, he returned to Sweden to study law at Stockholm University. In 1949 he became a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.  During his time at university, Palme became involved in student politics, working with the Swedish 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 traveled across Europe.<ref name="Httpwwwunostampsnlperson_palmehtm" />
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After hitch-hiking through the [[USA]] and [[Mexico]], he returned to Sweden to study law at Stockholm University. In 1949 he became a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.  During his time at university, Palme became involved in student politics, working with the Swedish 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 traveled across Europe.<ref name="Httpwwwunostampsnlperson_palmehtm" />
  
 
Palme attributed his becoming a socialist to three major influences:
 
Palme attributed his becoming a socialist to three major influences:
 
* In 1947, he attended a debate on taxes between the Social Democrat Ernst Wigforss, the conservative Jarl Hjalmarson and the liberal Elon Andersson;
 
* In 1947, he attended a debate on taxes between the Social Democrat Ernst Wigforss, the conservative Jarl Hjalmarson and the liberal Elon Andersson;
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* 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 of racism against black people; and,
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* 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 of racism against black people; and,
 
* A trip to Asia, specifically India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan in 1953 had opened his eyes to the consequences of colonialism and imperialism.
 
* A trip to Asia, specifically India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan in 1953 had opened his eyes to the consequences of colonialism and imperialism.
  
 
== Political career ==
 
== Political career ==
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In 1953, Olof Palme was recruited by the social democratic prime minister Tage Erlander to work in his secretariat. From 1955 he was a board member of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League and lectured at the Youth League College Bommersvik. He also was a member of the Worker's Educational Association.
  
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In 1953, Palme was recruited by the social democratic prime minister Tage Erlander to work in his secretariat. From 1955 he was a board member of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League and lectured at the Youth League College Bommersvik. He also was a member of the Worker's Educational Association.
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In 1957 he was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Jönköping County in the directly-elected First Chamber (''Första kammaren'') of Sweden's Riksdag. In the early [[1960s]] Palme became a member of the Agency for International Assistance (NIB) and was in charge of inquiries into assistance to the developing countries and educational aid. In 1963, he became a member of the Cabinet - as Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office, and retained his duties as a close political adviser to Prime Minister Tage Erlander. In 1965, he became Minister of Transport and Communications. One issue of special interest to him was the further development of radio and television, while ensuring their independence from commercial interests. In 1967 he became Minister of Education and, the following year, he was the target of strong criticism from left-wing students protesting against the government's plans for university reform. The protests culminated with the occupation 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.<ref>[[Olof Palme - En levande vilja: Tal och intervjuer]]</ref> When party leader Tage Erlander stepped down in 1969, Olof Palme was elected as the new leader by the Social Democratic party congress and succeeded Erlander as Prime Minister.
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In 1957 he was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Jönköping County in the directly-elected First Chamber (''Första kammaren'') of Sweden's Riksdag. In the early 1960s Palme became a member of the Agency for International Assistance (NIB) and was in charge of inquiries into assistance to the developing countries and educational aid. In 1963, he became a member of the Cabinet - as Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office, and retained his duties as a close political adviser to Prime Minister Tage Erlander. In 1965, he became Minister of Transport and Communications. One issue of special interest to him was the further development of radio and television, while ensuring their independence from commercial interests.<ref name="Httpwwwunostampsnlperson_palmehtm" />  In 1967 he became Minister of Education and, the following year, he was the target of strong criticism from left-wing students protesting against the government's plans for university reform. The protests culminated with the occupation 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.<ref>[[Olof Palme - En levande vilja: Tal och intervjuer]]</ref> When party leader Tage Erlander stepped down in 1969, Palme was elected as the new leader by the Social Democratic party congress and succeeded Erlander as Prime Minister.
 
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His protégé and political ally, [[Bernt Carlsson]], who was appointed UN Commissioner for Namibia in 1987, was killed when [[Pan Am Flight 103]] was sabotaged over Lockerbie, Scotland on 21 December 1988. Carlsson was ''en route'' to the signing ceremony at UN headquarters of the Namibia Independence Agreement the following day.
 
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Palme was said to have had a profound impact on people's emotions; he was very popular among the left, although an outspoken anti-communist, but harshly detested by most liberals and conservatives.<ref>Einhorn, Eric and John Logue (1989). ''Modern Welfare States: Politics and Policies in Social Democratic Scandinavia''. Praeger Publishers, pg 60. ISBN 0-275-93188-9 "Olof Palme was perhaps the most 'presidential' Scandinavian leader in recent decades, a fact that may have made him vulnerable to political violence."</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/han-godslade-jorden-sa-att-palmehatet-kunde-vaxa "Han gödslade jorden så att Palmehatet kunde växa"], [[Dagens Nyheter]], 25 February 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3154&date=20060227 Olof Palme: the controversy lives on], [[The Local]], 27 February 2006</ref>
 
  
 
== Policies ==
 
== Policies ==
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As leader of a new generation of Swedish Social Democrats, Olof Palme was often described as a "revolutionary reformist".<ref>''Dagens Nyheter'' 23 January 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/kultur/story/0,2789,785030,00.html "Detta borde vara vårt arv"] by Åsa Linderborg, ''Aftonbladet'' 28 February 2006</ref>
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Domestically, his socialist views — especially the Social Democrat drive to expand Labour Union influence over business — engendered a great deal of hostility from more conservatively inclined Swedes.
  
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As leader of a new generation of Swedish Social Democrats, Olof Palme was often described as a "revolutionary reformist".<ref>''Dagens Nyheter'' 23 January 2007</ref><ref>"[http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/kultur/story/0,2789,785030,00.html Detta borde vara vårt arv]" by [[Åsa Linderborg]], ''Aftonbladet'' 28 February 2006</ref>
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Olof Palme carried out major reforms in the Swedish constitution such as orchestrating a switch from bicameralism to unicameralism in 1969 and in 1975 replacing the 166-year-old Instrument of Government (at the time the oldest political constitution in the world after that of the United States) with a new one officially establishing parliamentary democracy rather than ''de jure'' monarchic autocracy, abolishing the Privy Council of Sweden and stripping King Carl XVI Gustav of most powers held even by ceremonial monarchs in [[Denmark]], [[Norway]] and the [[United Kingdom]].
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Domestically, his socialist views—especially the Social Democrat drive to expand Labour Union influence over business—engendered a great deal of hostility from more conservatively inclined Swedes.
 
  
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Olof Palme carried out major reforms in the Swedish constitution such as orchestrating a switch from bicameralism to unicameralism in 1969 and in 1975 replacing the 166-year-old Instrument of Government (at the time the oldest political constitution in the world after that of the United States) with a new one officially establishing parliamentary democracy rather than ''de jure'' monarchic autocracy, abolishing the Privy Council of Sweden and stripping King Carl XVI Gustav of most rights held even by ceremonial monarchs in Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom.
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His reforms on labour market included establishing a law which increased job security. In the Swedish 1973 general election the Socialist-Communist and the Liberal-Conservative blocs got 175 places each in the parliament. The Palme administration 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 concessional agreement.<ref>[http://karisable.com/palme.htm "The Palme Administration"]</ref>
  
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His reforms on labour market included establishing a law which increased job security. In the Swedish 1973 general election the Socialist-Communist and the Liberal-Conservative blocs got 175 places each in the parliament. The Palme administration 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 concessional agreement.<ref>[http://karisable.com/palme.htm The Palme Administration]</ref>
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Under Olof Palme's government matters concerned with child care centres, social security, protection of the elderly, accident safety, and housing problems received special attention. Under Palme the public health system in Sweden became efficient, with the infant mortality rate standing at 12 per 1,000 live births. <ref>[http://info.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro/1975/19750729 "Social policy"]</ref> An ambitious redistributive programme was carried out, with special help provided to the disabled, immigrants, the low paid, single-parent families, and the old.<ref>"Socialists in the Recession: The Search for Solidarity" by Giles Radice and Lisanne Radice</ref> The Swedish welfare state was significantly expanded from a position already one of the most far-reaching in the world during his time in office,<ref>Taxation, Wage Bargaining and Unemployment by Isabela Mares</ref> while tax rates rose from being fairly low even by European standards to one of the highest levels in the Western world. Olof 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," whereby wage restraint would be accompanied by increases in welfare provision and more progressive 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.
  
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Under Olof Palme's government matters concerned with child care centres, social security, protection of the elderly, accident safety, and housing problems received special attention. Under Palme the public health system in Sweden became efficient, with the infant mortality rate standing at 12 per 1,000 live births. <ref>[http://info.lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/castro/1975/19750729 Social policy]</ref> An ambitious redistributive programme was carried out, with special help provided to the disabled, immigrants, the low paid, single-parent families, and the old.<ref name="ReferenceA">Socialists in the Recession: The Search for Solidarity by Giles Radice and Lisanne Radice</ref> The Swedish welfare state was significantly expanded<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=bzfEo6E-YuUC&pg=PA206&lpg=PA206&dq=olaf+palme+expanded+welfare+state&source=bl&ots=5tx2-uzqQo&sig=epiioicodzfH_QeSXhk1wbVb4nM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tY1gUIKlH8fB0gXaxID4Ag&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=olaf%20palme%20expanded%20welfare%20state&f=false Expansion of the Swedish welfare state]</ref> from a position already one of the most far-reaching in the world during his time in office,<ref>Taxation, Wage Bargaining and Unemployment by Isabela Mares</ref> while tax rates rose from being fairly low even by European standards to the highest levels in the Western world.<ref>http://web.comhem.se/dier/Swedish%20Prime%20Ministers.htm</ref> Olof 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," whereby wage restraint would be accompanied by increases in welfare provision and more progressive 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.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
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As a forerunner in green politics Olof Palme was a firm believer in nuclear power as a necessary form of energy, at least for a transitional period to curb the use of fossil fuel.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cqbdE0j64 "Palme's green politics"]</ref> His intervention in Sweden's 1980 referendum on the future of nuclear power is often pinpointed by opponents of nuclear power as saving it. Nuclear power remains one of the most important sources of energy in Sweden, much attributed to Palme's actions.
  
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An outspoken supporter of gender equality, Palme sparked interest for women's' rights issues by attending a World Women's Conference in Mexico. In 1968 Palme was a driving force behind the release of documentary 'Dom kallar oss mods'. The controversial movie, 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.<ref>Daniel Ekeroth: SWEDISH SENSATIONS FILMS: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema,  (Bazillion Points, 2011) ISBN 978-0-9796163-6-5.</ref>
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On 21 February 1968, Palme (then Minister of Education) participated in a protest in Stockholm against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War together with the North Vietnamese Ambassador to the Soviet Union [[Nguyen Tho Chan]]. The protest was organised by the Swedish Committee for Vietnam and Palme and Nguyen were both invited as speakers. As a result of this, the U.S. recalled its Ambassador from Sweden and Palme was fiercely criticised by the opposition for his participation in the protest.<ref>[http://www.olofpalme.org/ingangar/tema/vietnam/ "Olof Palme och Vietnamfrågan 1965-1983"]</ref>
  
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As a forerunner in green politics Olof Palme was a firm believer in nuclear power as a necessary form of energy, at least for a transitional period to curb the influence of fossil fuel.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cqbdE0j64 Palme's green politics]</ref> His intervention in Sweden's 1980 referendum on the future of nuclear power is often pinpointed by opponents of nuclear power as saving it. Nuclear power remains one of the most important sources of energy in Sweden, much attributed to Palme's actions.
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On 23 December 1972, Palme (then Prime Minister) made a speech on Swedish national radio where he compared the ongoing US bombings of Hanoi to historical atrocities, namely the bombing of Guernica, the massacres of Oradour-sur-Glane, Babi Yar, Katyn massacre, Lidice, the Sharpeville massacre and the Treblinka extermination camp. The US government called the comparison a "gross insult" and once again decided to freeze its diplomatic relations with Sweden (this time the freeze lasted for over a year).<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvANQqWFsW4 "Anti-US speech"]</ref>
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Shortly before his assassination, Palme had been accused of being pro-Soviet and not sufficiently safeguarding Sweden's national interest. Arrangements had therefore been made for him to go to Moscow to discuss a number of contentious bilateral issues, including alleged Soviet submarine incursions into Swedish waters.
 
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On the international scene, Palme was a widely recognised political figure because of his:
 
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* harsh and emotional criticism of the United States over the Vietnam War;
 
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* vocal opposition to the crushing of the Prague Spring by the Soviet Union;
 
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* criticism of European Communist regimes, including labeling the Gustáv Husák regime as "cattle of dictatorship" (Swedish: "Diktaturens kreatur") in 1975;
 
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* campaigning against nuclear weapons proliferation;
 
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* criticism of the Franco Regime in Spain, calling the regime "devilish murderers" (Swedish: "Satans mördare") after its execution of ETA and Revolutionary Antifascist Patriotic Front (FRAP) nationalists in September 1975;
 
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* opposition to South African apartheid, branding it as "a particularly gruesome system", and support for economic sanctions against South Africa;
 
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* support, both political and financial, for the African National Congress (ANC), the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the POLISARIO Front;
 
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* visiting Fidel Castro's Cuba in 1975, during which he denounced Fulgencio Batista's government and praised contemporary Cuban and Cambodian revolutionaries;
 
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* strong criticism of the Pinochet regime in Chile;
 
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* support, both political and financial, for the FMLN in El Salvador and the FSLN in Nicaragua; and,
 
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* role as a mediator in the Iran-Iraq War.
 
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All of this ensured that Palme had many opponents (as well as many friends) abroad.<ref>{{cite web|last=Holst|first=Karen|title=Palme's political legacy 'put Sweden on the map'|url=http://www.thelocal.se/32314/20110228/|work=The Local|publisher=The Local Europe AB|accessdate=23 March 2011}}</ref>
 
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On 21 February 1968, Palme (then Minister of Education) participated in a protest in Stockholm against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War together with the North Vietnamese Ambassador to the Soviet Union Nguyen Tho Chan. The protest was organised by the Swedish Committee for Vietnam and Palme and Nguyen were both invited as speakers. As a result of this, the U.S. recalled its Ambassador from Sweden and Palme was fiercely criticised by the opposition for his participation in the protest.<ref name=vietnam>{{cite web |url=http://www.olofpalme.org/ingangar/tema/vietnam/ |title=Olof Palme och Vietnamfrågan 1965-1983 |accessdate=27 February 2008 |last=Andersson |first=Stellan |date= |work= |publisher=olofpalme.org |language=Swedish}}</ref>
 
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On 23 December 1972, Palme (then Prime Minister) made a speech in Swedish national radio where he compared the ongoing U.S. bombings of Hanoi to historical atrocities, namely the bombing of Guernica, the massacres of Oradour-sur-Glane, Babi Yar, Katyn massacre, Lidice, the Sharpeville massacre and the Treblinka extermination camp. The US government called the comparison a "gross insult" and once again decided to freeze its diplomatic relations with Sweden (this time the freeze lasted for over a year).<ref name=vietnam/><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvANQqWFsW4 The speech]</ref>
 
  
 
Despite such associations and contrary to stated Social Democratic Party policy, Sweden had in fact secretly maintained extensive military co-operation with NATO over a long period, and was even under the protection of a US military security guarantee.
 
Despite such associations and contrary to stated Social Democratic Party policy, Sweden had in fact secretly maintained extensive military co-operation with NATO over a long period, and was even under the protection of a US military security guarantee.
  
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In response to Palme's remarks in a meeting with the US ambassador to Sweden ahead of the Socialist International Meeting in Helsingør in January 1976,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=110438&dt=2082&dl=1345| title=Discussion with Prime Minister Palme of Socialist Meeting in Denmark - January 18–19| accessdate=28 November 2010| publisher= United States Department of State| date= 15 January 1976}}</ref> Kissinger asked the US ambassador to "(...) convey my personal appreciation to Palme for his frank presentation (...).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=110437&dt=2082&dl=1345| title=Palme's views on socialist international meeting| accessdate=28 November 2010| publisher= [[United States Department of State]]| date= 16 January 1976}}</ref>
+
In response to Palme's remarks in a meeting with the US ambassador to Sweden ahead of the Socialist International Meeting in Helsingør in January 1976,<ref>[http://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=110438&dt=2082&dl=1345 "Discussion with Prime Minister Palme of Socialist Meeting in Denmark - January 18–19"]</ref> Kissinger asked the US ambassador to "(...) convey my personal appreciation to Palme for his frank presentation (...).<ref>[http://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=110437&dt=2082&dl=1345 "Palme's views on Socialist International meeting"]</ref>
  
−
== Eliminated by Apartheid ==
+
Shortly before his assassination, Palme had been accused of being pro-Soviet and not sufficiently safeguarding Sweden's national interest. Arrangements had therefore been made for him to go to Moscow to discuss a number of contentious bilateral issues, including alleged Soviet submarine incursions into Swedish waters.<ref>[http://www.thelocal.se/32314/20110228/ "Palme's political legacy 'put Sweden on the map'"]</ref>
−
[[File:Mandela_and_Mrs_Palme.jpg|400px|thumb|right|At Nelson Mandela’s 1990 meeting with Lisbet Palme, he said: “Isn't it terrible that there seems to be a connection between the South African death squads and the murder of your husband?”]]
 
−
On 21 February 1986, Olof Palme made the keynote speech at the opening session of the 'Swedish People's Parliament Against Apartheid' which was held in Stockholm and attended by hundreds of anti-apartheid sympathizers as well as leaders and officials from the ANC such as Oliver Tambo.
 
  
−
In his speech, Olof Palme declared: "Apartheid cannot be reformed, it has to be eliminated" (reproduced in a 1986 poster by Cuban artist Rafael Enriquez). One week later, on 28 February 1986, Olof Palme was fatally wounded by gunshots while walking home from a cinema in central Stockholm with his wife Lisbet Palme, who was shot in the shoulder.
+
==Assassination==
 +
{{FA|Olof Palme/Assassination}}
 +
[[image:SA_Mil_Int.jpg|left|380px|thumbnail|An alleged [[SADF]] Military Intelligence report, dated 15 October 1985, concluded that Palme "should be seen as an enemy of the State." He was [[Olof Palme/Assassination|assassinated]] in February 1986.]]
 +
[[File:Mandela_and_Mrs_Palme.jpg|310px|thumbmail|right|Upon his release from prison in 1990, [[Nelson Mandela]] meets Mrs Palme in Stockholm]]
 +
Olof Palme was assassinated in Sweden on 28 February 1986 whilst walking home from a cinema with his wife. A decidedly problematic {{ON}} of the assassination suggests that it was the work of a "[[lone nut]]". Evidence is gradually emerging that his assassination was a [[deep event]], including a document from October 1985 before his assassination that stated that "should be seen as an enemy of the State."<ref>[[Document:Olof Palme — South African Spies Likely Murdered Sweden Prime Minister]]</ref> A [[Dutch]] documentary had a [[Belgian]] investigator saying the murder was the work of Operation Gladio.<ref>https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Operati%C3%ABn_en_Inlichtingen#Divisions</ref>
  
−
Apartheid's elimination eventually took place in May 1994 with the election of President [[Nelson Mandela]] in South Africa. But it would be another two years (September 1996) before evidence finally emerged that Sweden's Olof Palme had in fact been murdered (eliminated) by the apartheid regime's 'superspy' Major [[Craig Williamson]].<ref>[http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4108802432615&l=6033e4179e "Olof Palme eliminated by apartheid South Afica"]</ref><ref>[http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200110174731349&l=9ec3e0b88c Coup d'Etat in Slow Motion: Sweden & Apartheid South Africa]</ref>
+
===Suspect named===
 +
[[Stig Engström]], an advertising consultant was named as a "[[lone nut]]" suspect in the murder case by authorities on 10 June 2020, 34 years since Mr Palme was assassinated in central Stockholm. Since he died in 2000, the investigation was closed.<ref>https://www.arabnews.com/node/1687671/world</ref><ref>''[https://inews.co.uk/news/olof-palme-assassination-stig-engstrom-killer-suspect-sweden-prime-minister-442461 "Olof Palme assassination: Stig Engström named as suspected killer of Swedish Prime Minister"]''</ref>
  
−
Police said that a taxi driver used his radio to raise the alarm. Two young girls sitting in a car close to the scene of the shooting also tried to help the prime minister. He was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival at 00:06 Central European Time (CET) the next day. Deputy Prime Minister Ingvar 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.
+
==''Palme'', the documentary==
 +
[[File:PalmePoster.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The 2012 film ''Palme'']]
 +
''Palme'' is a Swedish documentary film premiered in Sweden on 14 September 2012 and written by Maud Nycander and Kristina Lindström. The film is a biographical portrait of the former prime minister Olof Palme, and covers his life from childhood to the role as a leading figure of Swedish politics. On general release in 2012, it has been shown as a 103-minute long feature film, and as a 175-minute long TV-movie in three parts on SVT at Christmas and New Year.<ref>[http://www.svt.se/palme/se-program/tabla/ "SVT: Programtablå Palme"]</ref>
  
−
Two years later, Christer Pettersson, a small-time criminal and drug addict, was arrested, tried and convicted for Palme's murder. Pettersson's conviction was later overturned on appeal to the Svea Court of Appeal. The crime remains unsolved and alternative theories as to who carried out the murder have since been proposed.
+
===Plot===
−
 
+
On Friday evening, February 28, 1986 Olof Palme was shot dead in the street. The day after, news reached out to the people that the country's prime minister was dead, and the whole country found itself suddenly shocked. The film follows Palme's life from his youth until he is assassinated. It contains material from Palme's family that has never been shown in public, private snapshots and family movies.
−
== See also ==
 
−
 
 
−
* [[Olof Palme International Center]]
 
−
* [[Anna Lindh]]
 
−
* [[Bernt Carlsson]]
 
−
* [[Folke Bernadotte]]
 
−
* [[Dag Hammarskjöld]]
 
−
 
 
−
== Notes ==
 
−
{{Reflist|2}}
 
−
 
 
−
== Bibliography ==
 
−
 
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Antman |first1=Peter |last2=Schori |first2=Pierre |author2-link=Pierre Schori |title=Olof Palme : den gränslöse reformisten |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1996 |isbn=91-518-2948-7}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Arvidsson |first=Claes |title=Olof Palme : med verkligheten som fiende |publisher=Timbro |place=Stockholm |year=2007 |isbn=978-91-7566-539-9}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Åsard |first=Erik |title=Politikern Olof Palme |publisher=Hjalmarson & Högberg |place=Stockholm |year=2002 |isbn=91-89080-88-2}}
 
−
*{{Citation |last=Berggren |first=Henrik |title=Underbara dagar framför oss - En biografi över Olof Palme |publisher=Norsteds |place=Stockholm |year=2010 |isbn=978-91-1-301708-2}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Björk |first=Gunnela |title=Olof Palme och medierna |publisher=Boréa |place=Umeå |year=2006 |isbn=91-89140-45-1}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Ekengren |first=Ann-Marie |title=Olof Palme och utrikespolitiken : Europa och Tredje världen |publisher=Boréa |place=Umeå |year=2005 |isbn=91-89140-41-9}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Elmbrant |first=Björn |title=Palme |edition=2nd |publisher=Fischer |place=Stockholm |year=1996 |isbn=91-7054-797-1}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Fredriksson |first=Gunnar |title=Olof Palme |publisher=Norstedt |place=Stockholm |year=1986 |isbn=91-1-863472-9}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Gummesson |first=Jonas |title=Olof Palmes ungdomsår : bland nazister och spioner |publisher=Ekerlid |place=Stockholm |year=2001 |isbn=91-88595-95-1}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Haste |first1=Hans |last2=Olsson |first2=Lars Erik |last3=Strandberg |first3=Lars |last4=Adler |first4=Arne |title=Boken om Olof Palme : hans liv, hans gärning, hans död |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1986 |isbn=91-550-3218-4}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Hermansson |first1=Håkan |last2=Wenander |first2=Lars |title=Uppdrag: Olof Palme : hatet, jakten, kampanjerna |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1987 |isbn=91-550-3340-7}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Isaksson |first=Christer |title=Palme privat : i skuggan av Erlander |publisher=Ekerlid |place=Stockholm |year=1995 |isbn=91-88594-36-X}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Kullenberg |first=Annette |title=Palme och kvinnorna |publisher=Brevskolan |place=Stockholm |year=1996 |isbn=91-574-4512-5}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Larsson |first=Ulf |title=Olof Palme och utbildningspolitiken |publisher=Hjalmarson & Högberg |place=Stockholm |year=2003 |isbn=91-89660-24-2}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Malm-Andersson |first=Ingrid |title=Olof Palme : en bibliografi |publisher=Arbetarrörelsens arkiv och bibliotek |place=Hedemora |year=2001 |isbn=91-7844-349-0}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Östberg |first=Kjell |title=I takt med tiden : Olof Palme 1927-1969 |publisher=Leopard |place=Stockholm |year=2008 |isbn=978-91-7343-208-5}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Östergren |first=Bertil |title=Vem är Olof Palme? : ett politiskt porträtt |publisher=Timbro |place=Stockholm |year=1984 |isbn=91-7566-037-7}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Palme |first=Claës |title=Olof Palme |publisher=Kirjayhtymä |place=Helsinki |year=1986 |isbn=951-26-2963-1}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Palme |first=Olof |title=Sveriges utrikespolitik : anföranden |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1984 |isbn=91-550-2948-5}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Palme |first=Olof |title=Politik är att vilja |edition=3rd |publisher=Prisma |place=Stockholm |year=1986 |isbn=91-518-2045-5}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Palme |first=Olof |title=Att vilja gå vidare |edition=2nd |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1986 |isbn=91-550-3224-9}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Palme |first1=Olof |last2=Richard |first2=Serge |last3=Åkerman |first3=Nordal |title=Med egna ord : samtal med Serge Richard och Nordal Åkerman |publisher=Bromberg |place=Uppsala |year=1977 |isbn=91-85342-32-7}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Palme |first1=Olof |last2=Dahlgren |first2=Hans |title=En levande vilja |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1987 |isbn=91-550-3225-7}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Palme |first1=Olof |last2=Hansson |first2=Sven Ove |last3=Dahlgren |first3=Hans |title=Palme själv : texter i urval |publisher=Tiden |place=Stockholm |year=1996 |isbn=91-518-2947-9}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Palme |first=Olof |title=Solidaritet utan gränser : tal och texter i urval |publisher=Atlas |place=Stockholm |year=2006 |isbn=91-7389-219-X}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Peterson |first=Thage G. |author-link=Thage G. Peterson |title=Olof Palme som jag minns honom |publisher=Bonnier |place=Stockholm |year=2002 |isbn=91-0-058042-2}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Strand |first=Dieter |title=Palme mot Fälldin : rapporter från vägen till nederlaget |publisher=Rabén & Sjögren |place=Stockholm |year=1977 |isbn=91-29-50309-4}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Strand |first=Dieter |title=Palme igen? : scener ur en partiledares liv |publisher=Norstedt |place=Stockholm |year=1980 |isbn=91-1-801351-1}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Strand |first=Dieter |title=Med Palme : scener ur en partiledares och statsministers liv |publisher=Norstedt |place=Stockholm |year=1986 |isbn=91-1-861431-0}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last=Svedgård |first=Lars B. |title=Palme : en presentation |publisher=Rabén & Sjögren |place=Stockholm |year=1970 |isbn=9901109116}}
 
−
* {{Citation |last1=Zachrisson |first1=Birgitta |last2=Alandh |first2=Tom |last3=Henriksson |first3=Björn |title=Berättelser om Palme |publisher=Norstedt |place=Stockholm |year=1996 |isbn=91-1-960002-X}}
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 +
* [http://www.olofpalme.org/ Olof Palme Archives] - [http://www.palmefonden.se/ Olof Palme Memorial Fund] - [http://www.palmecenter.org/ Olof Palme International Center]
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210514174509/https://dennisriches.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/the-swedish-submarine-scare-and-the-palme-assassination-lessons-from-the-1980s-in-media-manipulation-in-liberal-democracies/ The Swedish Submarine Scare and the Palme Assassination: Lessons from the 1980s in Media Manipulation in Liberal Democracies] - (see [[The Reagan Method]])
  
−
* [http://www.olofpalme.org/ Olof Palme Archives]
+
{{SMWDocs}}
−
* [http://www.palmefonden.se/ Olof Palme Memorial Fund]
 
−
* [http://www.palmecenter.org/ Olof Palme International Center]
 
−
 
 
−
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palme, Olof}}
 
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[[Category:Sweden]]
 
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[[Category:Assassination]]
 
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{{PageCredit
 
{{PageCredit
 
|site=Wikipedia
 
|site=Wikipedia
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|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Olof_Palme&oldid=544761995  
 
|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Olof_Palme&oldid=544761995  
 
}}
 
}}
 +
==References==
 +
{{reflist}}

Latest revision as of 02:46, 29 July 2022

Person.png Olof Palme   ISGP Sourcewatch Website WikiquoteRdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Olof Palme.jpg
BornSven Olof Joachim Palme
30 January 1927
Stockholm, Sweden
Died28 February 1986 (Age 59)
Stockholm, Sweden
Cause of death
Olof Palme/Assassination
NationalitySwedish
Alma materStockholm University, Kenyon College
Children • Joakim
• Mårten
• Mattias
SpouseLisbet Palme
Victim ofassassination
Interest ofSven Aspling
PartySwedish Social Democratic Party
Subpage•Olof Palme/Assassination
Leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969, and two-term Prime Minister, until his assassination in 1986.

Employment.png Prime Minister of Sweden Wikipedia-icon.png

In office
14 October 1969 - 8 October 1976
Preceded byTage Erlander
Succeeded byThorbjörn Fälldin

Employment.png Prime Minister of Sweden Wikipedia-icon.png

In office
8 October 1982 - 28 February 1986

Employment.png Swedish Social Democratic Party/Leader

In office
14 October 1969 - 28 February 1986

Employment.png President of the Nordic Council

In office
1979
Preceded byOlof Palme
Succeeded byOlof Palme

Olof Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 to his assassination in 1986, and was a two-term Prime Minister of Sweden, heading a Privy Council government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet government from 1982 until his death. Electoral defeats in 1976 and 1979 marked the end of Social Democratic hegemony in Swedish politics, which had seen 40 years of unbroken rule by the party.

While leader of the opposition, Olof Palme divided domestic and international interests and served as special mediator of the United Nations in the Iran–Iraq War, but returned to power as Prime Minister after stunning electoral victories in 1982 and 1985.

Early life

Olof Palme was born into an upper-class, conservative family in Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden. His father, a businessman, was of Dutch ancestry, and his mother, Freiin von Knieriem, was of Baltic German origin and had arrived in Sweden as a refugee in 1915. Great-grandfather Alexander von Knieriem (1837 - 1904) was an attorney general of the Senate of Russian Empire, senator and member of the State Council of Imperial Russia.[1] Palme's father died when he was six years old. Despite his upper-class background, his political orientation came to be influenced by Social Democratic attitudes. His travels in the Third World, as well as the United States, where he saw deep economic inequality and racial 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. He studied at the Sigtuna School of Liberal Arts, one of Sweden's few residential high schools, and passed the university entrance examination with high marks at the early age of 17. He did his military service and became a reserve officer with the rank of captain. After military service he enrolled at the University of Stockholm.[2]

On a scholarship, he studied at Kenyon College, Ohio 1947–1948, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[3] Inspired by radical debate in the student community, he wrote a critical essay on Friedrich Hayek's The Road to Serfdom. Palme wrote his senior honor thesis on the United Auto Workers union, led at the time by Walter Reuther. After graduation he travelled throughout the country and eventually ended up in Detroit, 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 the United 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.[4]

After hitch-hiking through the USA and Mexico, he returned to Sweden to study law at Stockholm University. In 1949 he became a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party. During his time at university, Palme became involved in student politics, working with the Swedish 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 traveled across Europe.[2]

Palme attributed his becoming a socialist to three major influences:

  • In 1947, he attended a debate on taxes between the Social Democrat Ernst Wigforss, the conservative Jarl Hjalmarson and the liberal Elon Andersson;
  • 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 of racism against black people; and,
  • A trip to Asia, specifically India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan in 1953 had opened his eyes to the consequences of colonialism and imperialism.

Political career

In 1953, Olof Palme was recruited by the social democratic prime minister Tage Erlander to work in his secretariat. From 1955 he was a board member of the Swedish Social Democratic Youth League and lectured at the Youth League College Bommersvik. He also was a member of the Worker's Educational Association.

In 1957 he was elected as a Member of Parliament representing Jönköping County in the directly-elected First Chamber (Första kammaren) of Sweden's Riksdag. In the early 1960s Palme became a member of the Agency for International Assistance (NIB) and was in charge of inquiries into assistance to the developing countries and educational aid. In 1963, he became a member of the Cabinet - as Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office, and retained his duties as a close political adviser to Prime Minister Tage Erlander. In 1965, he became Minister of Transport and Communications. One issue of special interest to him was the further development of radio and television, while ensuring their independence from commercial interests. In 1967 he became Minister of Education and, the following year, he was the target of strong criticism from left-wing students protesting against the government's plans for university reform. The protests culminated with the occupation 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.[5] When party leader Tage Erlander stepped down in 1969, Olof Palme was elected as the new leader by the Social Democratic party congress and succeeded Erlander as Prime Minister.

Policies

As leader of a new generation of Swedish Social Democrats, Olof Palme was often described as a "revolutionary reformist".[6][7] Domestically, his socialist views — especially the Social Democrat drive to expand Labour Union influence over business — engendered a great deal of hostility from more conservatively inclined Swedes.

Olof Palme carried out major reforms in the Swedish constitution such as orchestrating a switch from bicameralism to unicameralism in 1969 and in 1975 replacing the 166-year-old Instrument of Government (at the time the oldest political constitution in the world after that of the United States) with a new one officially establishing parliamentary democracy rather than de jure monarchic autocracy, abolishing the Privy Council of Sweden and stripping King Carl XVI Gustav of most powers held even by ceremonial monarchs in Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom.

His reforms on labour market included establishing a law which increased job security. In the Swedish 1973 general election the Socialist-Communist and the Liberal-Conservative blocs got 175 places each in the parliament. The Palme administration 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 concessional agreement.[8]

Under Olof Palme's government matters concerned with child care centres, social security, protection of the elderly, accident safety, and housing problems received special attention. Under Palme the public health system in Sweden became efficient, with the infant mortality rate standing at 12 per 1,000 live births. [9] An ambitious redistributive programme was carried out, with special help provided to the disabled, immigrants, the low paid, single-parent families, and the old.[10] The Swedish welfare state was significantly expanded from a position already one of the most far-reaching in the world during his time in office,[11] while tax rates rose from being fairly low even by European standards to one of the highest levels in the Western world. Olof 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," whereby wage restraint would be accompanied by increases in welfare provision and more progressive 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.

As a forerunner in green politics Olof Palme was a firm believer in nuclear power as a necessary form of energy, at least for a transitional period to curb the use of fossil fuel.[12] His intervention in Sweden's 1980 referendum on the future of nuclear power is often pinpointed by opponents of nuclear power as saving it. Nuclear power remains one of the most important sources of energy in Sweden, much attributed to Palme's actions.

On 21 February 1968, Palme (then Minister of Education) participated in a protest in Stockholm against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War together with the North Vietnamese Ambassador to the Soviet Union Nguyen Tho Chan. The protest was organised by the Swedish Committee for Vietnam and Palme and Nguyen were both invited as speakers. As a result of this, the U.S. recalled its Ambassador from Sweden and Palme was fiercely criticised by the opposition for his participation in the protest.[13]

On 23 December 1972, Palme (then Prime Minister) made a speech on Swedish national radio where he compared the ongoing US bombings of Hanoi to historical atrocities, namely the bombing of Guernica, the massacres of Oradour-sur-Glane, Babi Yar, Katyn massacre, Lidice, the Sharpeville massacre and the Treblinka extermination camp. The US government called the comparison a "gross insult" and once again decided to freeze its diplomatic relations with Sweden (this time the freeze lasted for over a year).[14]

Despite such associations and contrary to stated Social Democratic Party policy, Sweden had in fact secretly maintained extensive military co-operation with NATO over a long period, and was even under the protection of a US military security guarantee.

In response to Palme's remarks in a meeting with the US ambassador to Sweden ahead of the Socialist International Meeting in Helsingør in January 1976,[15] Kissinger asked the US ambassador to "(...) convey my personal appreciation to Palme for his frank presentation (...).[16]

Shortly before his assassination, Palme had been accused of being pro-Soviet and not sufficiently safeguarding Sweden's national interest. Arrangements had therefore been made for him to go to Moscow to discuss a number of contentious bilateral issues, including alleged Soviet submarine incursions into Swedish waters.[17]

Assassination

Full article: Olof Palme/Assassination
An alleged SADF Military Intelligence report, dated 15 October 1985, concluded that Palme "should be seen as an enemy of the State." He was assassinated in February 1986.
Upon his release from prison in 1990, Nelson Mandela meets Mrs Palme in Stockholm

Olof Palme was assassinated in Sweden on 28 February 1986 whilst walking home from a cinema with his wife. A decidedly problematic Official Narrative of the assassination suggests that it was the work of a "lone nut". Evidence is gradually emerging that his assassination was a deep event, including a document from October 1985 before his assassination that stated that "should be seen as an enemy of the State."[18] A Dutch documentary had a Belgian investigator saying the murder was the work of Operation Gladio.[19]

Suspect named

Stig Engström, an advertising consultant was named as a "lone nut" suspect in the murder case by authorities on 10 June 2020, 34 years since Mr Palme was assassinated in central Stockholm. Since he died in 2000, the investigation was closed.[20][21]

Palme, the documentary

The 2012 film Palme

Palme is a Swedish documentary film premiered in Sweden on 14 September 2012 and written by Maud Nycander and Kristina Lindström. The film is a biographical portrait of the former prime minister Olof Palme, and covers his life from childhood to the role as a leading figure of Swedish politics. On general release in 2012, it has been shown as a 103-minute long feature film, and as a 175-minute long TV-movie in three parts on SVT at Christmas and New Year.[22]

Plot

On Friday evening, February 28, 1986 Olof Palme was shot dead in the street. The day after, news reached out to the people that the country's prime minister was dead, and the whole country found itself suddenly shocked. The film follows Palme's life from his youth until he is assassinated. It contains material from Palme's family that has never been shown in public, private snapshots and family movies.

External links


 

A Olof Palme victim on Wikispooks

TitleDescription
Olof PalmeLeader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969, and two-term Prime Minister, until his assassination in 1986.

 

Appointments by Olof Palme

AppointeeJobAppointedEnd
Bernt CarlssonSpecial Emissary to the Middle East and Africa19831985
Kjell-Olof FeldtSweden/Minister/Finance1 January 198316 February 1990

 

Events Participated in

EventStartEndLocation(s)Description
Bilderberg/19652 April 19654 April 1965Italy
Villa d'Este		The 14th Bilderberg meeting, held in Italy
Bilderberg/197311 May 197313 May 1973Sweden
Saltsjöbaden		The meeting at which the 1973 oil crisis appears to have been planned.
Bilderberg/198411 May 198413 May 1984Sweden
Saltsjöbaden		The 32nd Bilderberg, held in Sweden

 

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References

  1. ↑ Palme's ancestry
  2. ↑ a b Military service
  3. ↑ Kenyon College web page
  4. ↑ Hendrik Hertzberg, “Death of a Patriot”, in: Idem, Politics. Observations and Arguments, 1966-2004 (New York: The Penguin Press, 2004) 263-266, there 264
  5. ↑ Olof Palme - En levande vilja: Tal och intervjuer
  6. ↑ Dagens Nyheter 23 January 2007
  7. ↑ "Detta borde vara vårt arv" by Åsa Linderborg, Aftonbladet 28 February 2006
  8. ↑ "The Palme Administration"
  9. ↑ "Social policy"
  10. ↑ "Socialists in the Recession: The Search for Solidarity" by Giles Radice and Lisanne Radice
  11. ↑ Taxation, Wage Bargaining and Unemployment by Isabela Mares
  12. ↑ "Palme's green politics"
  13. ↑ "Olof Palme och Vietnamfrågan 1965-1983"
  14. ↑ "Anti-US speech"
  15. ↑ "Discussion with Prime Minister Palme of Socialist Meeting in Denmark - January 18–19"
  16. ↑ "Palme's views on Socialist International meeting"
  17. ↑ "Palme's political legacy 'put Sweden on the map'"
  18. ↑ Document:Olof Palme — South African Spies Likely Murdered Sweden Prime Minister
  19. ↑ https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Operati%C3%ABn_en_Inlichtingen#Divisions
  20. ↑ https://www.arabnews.com/node/1687671/world
  21. ↑ "Olof Palme assassination: Stig Engström named as suspected killer of Swedish Prime Minister"
  22. ↑ "SVT: Programtablå Palme"
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