SWEDISH ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND SWEDISH ECONOMIC DEBATE: A VIEW FROM OUTSIDE.

The article comments on the relative economic performance of Sweden. Criteria and methods in measuring economic growth are presented such as conducting an evaluation through the use of real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. This option is suggested both by data availability for comparative analysis over an extended period and for comparability with a wide range of previous studies. Another method is that of a Human Development Index (HDI). However, the HDI is not yet sufficiently developed conceptually or statistically to replace GDP. A table is shown that displays paths of real GDP per capita measured in 1985 at constant international prices up until 1992. The combination of convergence and cyclical fluctuation suggests that there should be caution on placing much emphasis on changes in GDP rankings between a particular pair of years.