The Øresund Fixed Link: Danish and Swedish Corporatist Systems at the End of the Century

Abstract

The idea of a bridge as a symbol of progress or unity is not a new one. In the United States the idea was used continuously during last year's Presidential campaign. Of course, Bill Clinton's "Bridge to the twenty-first Century" is fictional. No such bridge is being built. But what happens when two countries (e.g., Denmark and Sweden) mobilize their resources to build a real-life representation of a political symbol? The story of the Oresund Fixed Link helps to provide an answer to this question. This paper provides a critical analysis of the 0resund bridge decision making process and the historical and political context in which it occurred. While the critique offered is serious, it is neither a condemnation of social democracy as a whole nor of Scandinavian countries and their people in particular. Through the years, I have come to see Scandinavia with an increasingly critical eye, while maintaining a deep respect for the region and its culture.