The Evolution Of Swedish Social Democratic Party After The Cold War

Swedish Social Democratic Party (SSPD) is the main representative of Nordic left-wing parties, which has a significant importance rolein the whole European politics. Since its birth, it has been being in constant developmental transformation and is a party committed to reform and continuous improvement.After the Cold War, SSPD’s ups and downs inSwedish politics and corresponding reflection and reformare not accidental, but rather have special background, whichare the result of complex international and domestic factors and the role of the party itself.Internationally, SSPD has been beingunder the situation that the Cold War has finished; globalization, integration and informationhave always been accelerating; and the post-materialist values are booming. At home, the party is facing new realities, such as social structure has been changing;the relation with tradeunion has become increasingly alienated; living space is squeezed by the right-wing parties;immigrant issuescome out; and so on.In the party, its ideology is facing serious challenge, so are policy and the organization execution. It is because of changes in the global and domestic situation and party’scondition that SSPDhas been deeply influenced. Its long-rulingadvantage has become a thing of the past. So the party recognizes that it is time tohave to change.Theory, policy and strategy are the basic content of SSPD’s reflection and reform. After the Cold War, SSPDhasnt been stopping the pace of progress andhas been continuing to explorean innovativeroad that has Swedish specialties and is fit for Swedish conditions. Theoretically, after deep reflection, the party has had a new positioning and awareness about its own development. It has decided to abandon the traditional position that regardeditself as working class partyand stressed that it is the party that crosses all social sectors and groups. At the same time, onthe basis of adhering to not changing the social democratic core values and appropriately updating their specific ideological connotations, the party has conducted in-depth thinking about the socialism. Ithas reinterpreted the goal of socialism, decided to fade the socialist colors from name, and discuss and describe the connotation of socialism from more abstract meaning and ethical angle. From the party’slatest revisedprogram, we can see that pluralistic values, inclusive thinking, democratic way and green development will be the new trend in the future. Prescriptively, the party has continued to drive enterprise to innovate and reform for promoting economic growth. It has encouraged research and development, increased the research investment and optimized the industrial structure and advocated the establishment of a green economy to achieve sustainable development.Meanwhile, it has also made a significant adjustment in terms of education, immigration, welfare, employment and labor. Strategy, in order to meet the voters demand and increase approval rating,the party has made comprehensive reform in the propagation, organization and election.lt has actively improved relations with the media and used the mass media to advertiseitself. To play party’s function effectively, it has constantly improved the membership structure and strengthened self-construction. To ensure success, it has alsoselected the charismatic leader and set upa special election agency.After 20 years of unremitting efforts, SSPD has made remarkable achievements. On the average,SSPD has been facing many difficulties, such as globalization, immigration and other problems. But through reflection and reform, the party has adaptedthe new situation of globalization and information and effectively dealt withmany challengesfrom inside and outside, that showsSSPD’s strong vitality and encouraging upward trend in the future.It has not only ushered in a new round of power, but continued to be the representative of the European left-wing.Throughout SSPD’s reflection and reform, we see that it has three main characteristics that theoretical reflectioncaters to the development of the times;policy becomes more practical;strategy focuses on expanding the party’s openness.In addition, the party’s reflection and reform is an exploration of transformation thatis a combination of theory and practice.It is an idea that the party’s theorists think about the valueorientation, policy and strategy, also actual measures in the specific reforms. It is because of theoretical support in policy and strategythat the party couldstruggle out of the slump and promote social and economic developmentto a new step. It is also because of specific practical initiatives that the party could timely update the theoretical program and make it more detailed and appropriate.In a word, what SSPD has reflected and reformedafter the Cold War has a very important effect. It not only will make social democracy to regain the confidence, but also provide a reference model for exploringthe reform and transformation of social democracyin new eraand have a great reference value for other left forces.