Privatisering som samhällsförändring - om sambandet mellan värdeförändringar och samhällsförändring

Abstract: This master's thesis examines the relationship between privatisation as a social change in Sweden and changes in social values. Theories of democratic values form the theoretical foundation of the thesis were it is concluded that freedom and equality are values closely linked to democracy. The importance of freedom and equality is, by method of text analysis, examined in the governmental reports ?Maktutredningen? from 1990 and ?Demokratiutredningen? from 2000. This comparative study show that equality in ?maktutredningen? is closer linked to democracy than freedom, and that the relationship is reversed in ?demokratiutredningen?, where freedom is closer linked to democracy than equality. Finally the difference discovered in the two governmental reports are said to be a sign of a change in social values connected to privatisation as a social change in Sweden. The social change in values towards a stronger emphasis on the value of freedom is argued to be an important factor in the process that led up to privatisation as a social change in Swedish society during the 1990s.