This is a translation of Cassel's "Socialpolitik"(1902). Today this book is almost forgotten
even in Sweden. But it had a great influence on public opinion in those days. We should pay attention to following four points in Cassel's discussion in this book.
1) Cassel criticizes (Manchester) liberalism. Market mechanism does not always function
automatically. If man lets market behave freely, it leads often to degeneration in
mankind rather than progress. So man has consciously to set up preconditions for full
performance of market. According to Cassel, cooperative movement and labor
movement can play a very important role in this context. State is also a bearer of such
a role in complement.
2) On the other hand, he criticizes socialism such as Marxism. Even if man could abolish
profits and distribute them among proletariats, man could not eradicate poverty in the society. Our wealth is too meager to give every member an enough portion. In addition such distribution can lead to exhaustion of capital for following economic growth. So we can become even poorer.
3) Cassel, in this way, emphasizes importance of economic growth. For him, social policy is policies for solving social problems through economic growth. Social policy is not a cost but a productive factor for the society. This means that social policy is benefit both for capitalists and for working class. So man can take social policy as an important means to overcome class conflicts and realize national solidarity.
4) We can take so‐called Swedish model as a vision for harmonious society through
economic growth. Moreover we can also notice prototype of solidarity wage policy
and active labor market policy in policies which Cassel proposed for economic growth
in this book. It is plausible that we consider Cassel's social policy as one of historical
origins of Swedish model. |