Economy & everyday life in practice
Economy and everyday life shape everything — from what ends up on the dinner table to how firms grow and how welfare is financed. Behind debates on deficits, interest rates and electricity prices lies a bigger question: who really has a grip on prices in our society?
For many, the economy isn’t abstract — it’s felt in every choice: at the supermarket, when paying rent, when talking to the bank. When prices outpace incomes and the power bill eats savings, the economy becomes about security and control. Political decisions on tax, rates and support cannot be made in a vacuum — they must be anchored in people’s reality.
Only when economy and daily life meet in practice can we build a society where more people feel trust and a sense of the future. It must start from lived experience — not only from spreadsheets.
In recent years households have been tested hard: housing costs up, interest rates higher, electricity and food more expensive. For families with children, pensioners and singles, margins have shrunk.
Inflation is often discussed in technical terms — as if it were just a matter for the central bank. But if you’re choosing between food and medicine, it’s not technical. It’s real life.
When household finances are hit from several sides, worry becomes concrete: travel costs more, food prices surge, rents rise. A weaker krona makes imports dearer — fuel, tech, food — affecting both daily consumption and long-term planning. Swedish firms also struggle to compete when the currency falls; investors hesitate, and some consider moving production abroad.
For ordinary households, this shakes stability: paychecks don’t stretch, energy and fuel eat buffers. If living costs rise but margins don’t, a quiet insecurity grows — and politics must not look away. It’s not just numbers — it’s trust in the future.
Small businesses — restaurants, hairdressers, mechanics, trades — face rising rents, input costs and weaker demand. Many cut back or shut down. Yet small firms are the backbone of jobs. Policy must ensure they aren’t pushed out.
We need more than temporary aid: long-term conditions, access to skills and reasonable tax models. Local business conditions matter for everyday prosperity.
Employment rates and unemployment are quoted in percent, but reality is more complex. For many young people and newcomers, getting any foothold is hard — while sectors face acute labour shortages. Matching fails, hurting both firms and people. A healthy economy means not just “more jobs” but the right jobs and competencies — and tighter cooperation between education, employment services and business.
Sweden remains outside the euro. The krona’s weakness in recent years makes imports costlier and households’ purchasing power lower, adding uncertainty for companies and investors. A weak currency increases vulnerability to global price swings and complicates planning.
I believe euro membership would be a logical step: greater stability, stronger competitiveness and clearer conditions for exporters and consumers alike. In a global economy, standing aside risks falling behind.
Follow the news for a week and it can feel like no one holds the whole picture. Politicians blame “the market”. Banks point to the central bank. The central bank points to global factors. Households, firms and municipalities are left to cope with the consequences.
We need more responsibility, transparency and long-termism — so that the economy can give more people security and hope.
An economic policy that holds society together must grasp daily life and set direction — with decisions that work in both cities and rural areas, for singles, entrepreneurs and the young. It takes anchoring and courage — and respect for people’s efforts.
We should also ask how we measure success. A high GDP isn’t true prosperity if large groups fall behind. Decisions must be weighed against equality, social sustainability and long-term security.
Sweden has resources and capability — but politics must speak plainly about responsibility, priorities and what we want to build together.
Economy and everyday life are not just numbers — they’re people’s lives, choices and hopes. When the economy works for daily life, society works better.
The economy looks different across the country. Some regions have strong labour markets, stable housing and good services. Others — especially sparsely populated areas — face fewer jobs, car dependence and higher energy costs. Regional inequality becomes differences in life chances, security and the ability to plan the future — a dimension often missed in national debate.
Perhaps most underestimated is how financial stress affects health and wellbeing. When money doesn’t suffice, worry and poor sleep follow. It’s not only the lowest incomes; many middle-income households feel squeezed. Parents cut children’s activities; older people fear power bills; young people doubt they can move out. Economic worry strains relationships, self-confidence and hope. If politics fails to address this, the gap grows — not only economically but between decision-makers and citizens.
Four pillars for economy & everyday life
Everyday security builds social trust. The future debate must give daily life a bigger place. Policy should start where problems first appear — in the everyday — because that’s where solutions must begin.
If we want a cohesive society, we must start with the concrete. The economy cannot be left to “the market alone” — it’s a shared concern.
Want to read more about public debate and policy?
Visit DN,
Dagens Samhälle or
the Government’s op-eds.
You can also read my op-ed in UNT:
“Reasonable to deport those who don’t follow the rules — but risky”
.