Interdependence,Internationalization and Foreign Policy Decentralization in Sweden

Abstract

Sundelius, B. Interdependence, Internationalization and Foreign Policy Decentrali zation in Sweden. Cooperation and Conflict, XIX, 1984, 93-120.

This paper examines the implications of increasing interdependence on Swedish policy-making structures. It is suggested that such effects include the internationali zation of domestic agencies and a decentralization of foreign policy processes. The empirical test of this hypothesis is primarily based on an examination of staff and budget resources devoted to international affairs during 1950-1980. The data show that the scope and intensity of internationalization have expanded over the period but they do not indicate an increase in its weight. The data also fail to uncover any clear decentralization trend but show the continued dominance of the Foreign Ministry. This study suggests that the structural implications of interdependence may not be as clear and overwhelming as thought but are affected by conscious attempts at controlling decentralizing forces. The paper shows that it is important to distinguish between various national strategies for adjusting to interdependence and its commonly shared pressures on government structures. This case study is part of a comparative project on this theme.