Doing Business in the Schools of the Welfare State: Competing “Entrepreneurial Selves” and the Roots of Entrepreneurship Education in 1980s Sweden

This article concerns the rise of young entrepreneurship education programs in 1980s Sweden, which entered schools surprisingly early and quickly, backed by organized Swedish business. The increased popularity toward end twentieth century many European welfare states is usually associated with a shift neoliberal, market-oriented, policies. It argued here that an important reason for entrepreneurship’s success was its ability to connect tradition cooperation democratic decision making, combination values such as individualism competition. A case point surprising compatibility between progressive pedagogical ideas “neoliberal” entrepreneurialism. based on study Ung Företagsamhet (Young Entrepreneurship, henceforth UF), version American organization Junior Achievement, ambition consumer cooperative movement’s think tank, Koopi, offer different kind education. In analysis, concept “the entrepreneurial self” applied these two programs, results show how they clashed, but also overlapped, ways help explain UF. contribution our understanding discourse emerged manifested itself everyday environments late century, contributes history Nordic neoliberalism.