Two years after the end of the World War II, the United States
launched a comprehensive aid program to assist in the reconstruction
of Europe. Dubbed "the Marshall Plan" after George Marshall,
the then US Secretary of State, the program covered most of
Europe, including Sweden, and formed an important part in the
renovation of European postwar societies. It also aimed to support
the future of democracy in Europe, and to insulate European
nations from the USSR.
In this anthology, four Swedish scholars take stock of the Marshall
Plan and discuss its role for Europe and for Sweden. Their contributions
combine broad analyses of the US strategies behind the
Marshall Plan with the Plan?s practical implications for Europeans.
They cover geopolitical aspects as well as economic ones, and give
a better understanding of the foundation of postwar transatlantic
cooperation.
The Marshall Plan at 60 is a copublication of Timbro and The United
States Embassy, Stockholm.
Fredrik Erixon is a director and cofounder of the European Centre
for International Political Economy (ECIPE).
Birgit Karlsson is Associate Professor of Economic History at the School
of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg.
Örjan Appelqvist is Associate Professor and Director of Studies
of International Relations at the Department of Economic History,
University of Stockholm.
Mike Winnerstig is a business area manager and a deputy
director of research at the Swedish Defense
Research Agency.