The Sweden Syndrome: How Elites Commit National Self-Destruction

by Karl-Olov Arnstberg

The present work is a thorough, clinical description of the symptoms and etiology of what the author calls ‘the Sweden syndrome’. Arnstberg traces the historical process that converted Sweden from a nationalistic Folkhemmet which treated the country like a family into a multicultural administrative zone that perversely prides itself on privileging the foreigner over the native. The book is called The Sweden Syndrome, but the broad stokes of the disease that Arnstberg describes can be seen in practically every Western country. Arnstberg’s concise analysis of this complex mass psychosis is a service not only to the present, but to future generations. — John Carter

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2025

About the author

Karl-Olov Arnstberg, född 1943, är pensionerad professor i etnologi vid Stockholms universitet. Han har skrivit ett femtiotal forskningsrapporter och fackböcker om främst invandrarfrågor, etnicitet, svenskhet och samhällsplanering. Han har också gett ut tio romaner.

Examina
1969 Fil kand, Stockholms universitet
1977 Fil dr, Stockholms universitet
1981 Docent, Stockholms universitet


Akademiska meriter
1969-80 Lärare och forskare i etnologi vid Stockholms universitet
1980-84 Forskningsledare i etnologi vid Stockholms universitet
1984-88 Seniorforskare, Nordiska museet, Stockholm
1988-89 Seniorforskare, Centrum för invandringsforskning, Stockholms universitet
1989-95 Seniorforskare Kulturgeografi, Stockholms universitet
1994-98 Seniorforskare, Institutet för framtidsstudier, Stockholm
1995-98 Professor, Kulturgeografiska institutionen Stockholms universitet
1996-01 Gästprofessor, Södertörns högskola, Stockholm
1998-02 Professor, Kulturgeografiska institutionen Stockholms universitet
2002-08 Professor, Etnologi, Stockholms universitet

Reviews

[Chris Lira · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this topic interests you, you should definitely check out Douglas Murray's "The Strange Death of Europe".

[Auguste Meyrat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important book that describes the recent collapse and fall of Sweden after they embraced mass immigration and multiculturalism. True to his training as a sociologist, Arnstberg methodically charts the downward course of Swedish society that starts from the 70s, as certain leftist politicians took in non-Western immigrants and immediately called them Swedes. Of course, this tactic could not address the challenges of these people who mostly added large burdens to native Swedes, living apart in enclaves, not working, collecting welfare checks, and often committing crimes in far greater numbers. Once these problems became apparent, the government and courts went to work criminalizing all forms dissent and keeping up the high rates of incoming refugees, attempting to be a "humanitarian superpower." By the end of the book, Arnstberg observes that this last generation of Swedes have been traumatized by the constant harassment of immigrants refugees and their children who continue to commit crimes with impunity and refuse to integrate into Swedish society.

Obviously, Sweden's story matters because it serves as a warning to rest of the West which has taken in large numbers of immigrants without giving much thought to the tradeoffs involved. My main criticism is simply the plodding nature of Arnstberg's prose and the generic nature of his argument. The whole thing is rather dry and could use a little more drama and narrative. It's easy enough to see why what Arnstberg is describing is wrong, but I'm not exactly rooting for the Swedes who seem utterly passive and bland.

Overall, it's a good book, but could be written to be more readable and compelling.

[Michał Lech · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is useful for the news stories and other anecdotes from the country for those who don't read Swedish. It is worth having this material available for when journalists and politicians insist the problems are nonexistent or overstated.

When the author delves into thought/opinion, the book is notably weaker. The writing style is a bit informal. There are some editorial mistakes.

Overall, a useful addition to the body of literature on the destruction of Sweden.