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The purpose of this thesis has been to analyse the conception of the Swedish “work strategy” (arbetslinjen). This principle, or political idea, has been central in Sweden’s economic, employment as well as social policy since (at least) the inter war era. The purpose has been to detangle and dissect the ideas behind an almost sacred political principle, hardly ever questioned or challenged by politi­cal actors or scholars. Through studies of political debates and decision- and policy-making, the issue has been to reach an insight into how this particular set of ideas, gathered together in the conception of “the work strategy”, has been understood and how this influenced policy-making.

In this thesis it has been shown the conception of “the work strategy” and its realisation is linked to Social Democratic economic policy since the 1930s and the full employment programs designed in the 1950s. The political ideas in­cluded in this principle, though, have deeper roots in the history of social and poor relief policy institutions. The theoretical assumption is that certain political ideas have such a strong position among politicians, no matter what their ideo­logical residence, that it is broadly speaking impossible to implement political proposals that challenge these ideas.