Since everyone seems to be talking about nationalization and pointing to Sweden as a model for the future, one should ask whether Sweden actually nationalized anything. No one is talking about outright Hugo Chavez-style expropriation here. The only nationalization I see is what was done in the case of AIG and we know where that led.
I certainly believe the knee-jerk reaction against the ‘N’ word, as Barry Ritholtz calls it, is overwrought and have suggested we dub it pre-privatization. After all, didn’t the word recession come into existence for similar reasons — fear of the ‘D’ word depression.
Back in August, I pointed to Sweden as a model as well. You can read the post, “The Swedish banking crisis response – a model for the future?.” But, the Peterson Institute also has a fine post by Anders Aslund on what really happened in Sweden and it was not nationalization.
Here’s a bit of what he had to say:




