Palme, Olof Joachim (1927–86). Prime Minister of Sweden 1969–76, 1982–6 Born in Stockholm into a wealthy family, he studied at Kenyon College, Ohio, and then read law at Stockholm University. As chairman of the National Union of Students (1952–3), he attracted the attention of the
Social Democratic Party hierarchy, and in 1953 he became personal secretary to
Erlander. He became a member of the Riksdag (Parliament) in 1956, and quickly rose through his ministerial appointments, as Minister without Portfolio (1963–5), Minister of Transport (1965), and Minister of Education (1967), until he succeeded Erlander as Prime Minister. As Sweden was already one of the most affluent societies in the world, he saw his main task as reducing the inequalities with which that affluence was shared. He introduced comprehensive education, women's emancipation legislation, and reforms in higher education. However, in a country already tired of high taxation and state intervention, his policies increased the regulatory role of the state even further.
From 1973, Palme had to rule with a minority government. Discontent at the way in which excessive taxation and state regulation appeared to stifle the economy was heightened in the wake of the 1973
oil-price shock. In his doctrinaire rigidity, he was ultimately unable to find answers to the economic crisis. For the first time in Sweden's history, a right-wing coalition formed the government 1976–82, but he was able to hang on as leader of his party and return as the head of another minority government in 1982 (re-elected 1985). As a firm adherent to Sweden's neutrality, he won international respect as a committed supporter of
decolonization and anti-
imperialism, of poorer countries in general, and of
disarmament. Thus, despite his holding the office of Prime Minister, he did not hesitate to participate in demonstrations against the
Vietnam War, to
Nixon's great irritation. He was murdered under mysterious circumstances; the assassin has never been found.
