Tage Erlander
? Days Fritiof Erlander / i ( pronunciation: [ ˌ tɑ ː ː gə ɛɹlan dəɹ ], born June 13, 1901 in Ransäter, community Munkfors, † June 21, 1985 in Stockholm) was a Swedish politician and Prime Minister of 1946 until 1969.
Life
Tage Erlander grew up in a liberal and religious family but turned during his studies in Lund, the Social Democrats. In 1930 he was elected to the municipal council of the city of Lund, 1932 in the Reichstag. In 1938 he was State Secretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Minister without portfolio in 1944; the following year he took over the Ministry of Education. After the sudden death of Per Albin Hansson 1946 Tage Erlander was elected party leader of the Social Democratic Workers' Party and assumed the office of prime minister. The first also in their own ranks somewhat controversial Erlander consolidated his position gradually and reached an extraordinary popularity. At the last general election under his party chairmanship, the Social Democrats won 50 % of votes.
His reign was marked by the expansion of the welfare state and the work on the constitutional reform. Erlander coined the term "strong society" and looked at the expansion of the public sector as a necessary and valuable. During his reign, the Swedish welfare state made most progress and the " Swedish model " also attracted overseas attention. Here, however, he also called for individual responsibility and summed this up - mutatis mutandis - in the sentence: ". The purpose of the welfare state is to help people and not to deprive them of the responsibility"
In October 1969, he handed the Education Minister Olof Palme, whom he had hired as a secretary in 1953 and was one of the most important employees had become. After retirement from politics he lived with his wife Aina in Bommersvik.
Writings (selection )
- Memories. 1901 - 1939 Publisher New Society, Bonn-Bad Godesberg in 1974.
- 1960 - talet. Samtal med Arvid Lagercrantz. Tidens Förlag, Stockholm, 1982