Healthcare Privatization Through Neoliberal Newspeak : The Case of Sweden and Beyond

Using Sweden as its starting point, this insightful book examines how universal health systems around the world are gradually being eroded by the privatization of provision and funding.

This book argues that the influence of commercial interests creates two parallel systems, fatally undermining the principle that public healthcare should be equally available to all citizens. Significantly, it highlights how the language used to describe these neoliberal developments essentially disguises their broader impact, a type of newspeak that frames privatization as a logical response to the pressures faced by welfare states. Each chapter focuses on a different actor, from private healthcare providers to insurance companies, employers, and unions, illustrating the creeping commodification of healthcare not only in Sweden but also internationally.

Erudite and incisive, this will be fascinating reading for scholars and students across public health, political science, and beyond.

John Lapidus is a research fellow in the Department of Economy and Society at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.