Science and technology in Sweden: The fabians versus Europe

Sweden's technological development based on big science supporting high politics is turning to more welfare-oriented technologies. The tension between the university reform performed by an inward-looking government and industrial innovation carried out by an outward-looking business community is discussed.The paper covers the time span of the quiet postwar years, the attempt to institutionalize science policy in the 1960's and the sectoral approach to science and technology advocated in the 1970's. The implications of the polarization of science policy between the government and the technological community at a time of European integration is discussed.