Is democracy threatened? On private interests and the transformation of the Swedish school system

Abstract

Is (Swedish) democracy threatened when public institutions like the public education system are characterized by growing marketization and privatization? Is it probable and possible that the educational system as a whole will be able to concretize the democratic value base and the struggle for equivalence in that situation? In recent years, a number of committees have looked into the principles of the public education system and parts of the privatized system, the three large commercial groups operating schools in Sweden. What answers do these committees provide regarding current developments in this area?