"Nationens livsfråga" : Propaganda och upplysning i försvarets tjänst 1944-1963

Sammanfattning: The subject of this thesis is the problem of autonomy versus control in the field of defence propaganda and defence information. The study has its foundation in two classical problems of democratic theory: the issue of political control over bureaucracies and the question of the involvement of non-governmental organizations in public administration. I argue that these two problems of modern democracy can be seen as one, the problem of autonomy versus control. In my thesis I analyse this problem within the framework of the tension between the armed forces, the government and the non-governmental organizations in the field of military information between 1944 and 1963. In the book I use the terms defence information and defence propaganda synonymously, meaning information distributed with the intent to influence attitudes and actions of individuals and/or organizations. This book focuses on four aspects of the problem of autonomy versus control. The first aspect deals with propaganda coming from the supreme commander and the defence staff. What methods were used? With which other groups did they collaborate? Can we see any change over the course of time? Aspect number two focuses on government control over defence information. What means of control did the government use? When was it used and how? The third aspect concerns non-governmental organizations in the field of defence. How did they interact with the government and with the defence staff and the supreme commander? The final aspect deals with government control over non-governmental organizations as well as control exercised by the military authorities over non-governmental organizations. What means of control was employed, at what times, and how? The analysis of these aspects is undertaken in five case studies.The study shows that the problem of autonomy versus control was evident from 1944 to 1963. I also argue that the supreme commander and the defence staff acted as a military interest group with close ties to the conservative daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, to business elites and to the Conservative Party. In the 1940’s and 1950’s the government used various informal methods to try to control the military propaganda. In 1960 this changed and the government turned to more formal ways of control such as introducing new regulations concerning military information.