Is it self‐interest or public interest that dominates in public life? Rational‐choice theory, political philosophy, and electoral research were all used to answer this question. Analysing existing literature, Professor Leif Lewin shows that predominant consensus emerged on this issue by the 1980s. This consensus states that people in politics are driven mostly by their self‐interest and not by common good and society values. Although Professor Lewin is not testing existing views that ‘egoism rules’ on deep theoretical grounds, he strongly argues that empirical facts do not support such views and thus opens a new chapter in the debate on individuals’ rationality. Combining research results and achievements of different research fields, mentioned above, the author adopts methodology never used before. Extensive literature review on studies of Western democracy provides a basis for analysis for many countries. Separate chapters of the book are devoted to the attitudes and actions of the electoral voters, politicians, and bureaucrats in power. This allows the author to make broad conclusions, which challenges predominant views. He concludes that in most cases people in politics are driven by broader social interests rather than their own short‐term interests.

Abstract. Corporatism is a method to pacify intense minorities by giving them another opportunity to influence politics when they have no chance in parliament. This possibility helps to keep the system together; minorities get an incentive to stick to the system and social integration is promoted. During the 1980s we have, however, witnessed a gradual decline of this neocorporatist model of interest representation. Europe is approaching the American pluralist model instead. Sweden, once the prototype of the Social Democratic Corporatist State, is the best example of this change.

The Swedish Disability Act, LSS, was introduced to guarantee good living conditions for people with severe disabilities. A specific goal was to overcome local variation in support. However, considerable differences still remain between the municipalities. In this study we have identified six characteristics to explain this variation: earlier presence of residential institutions, population density, human capital (age, education, employment, health), local culture, land area and stable left-wing government. The results support a need-responsiveness model of welfare support but also signal accessibility problems and a regional propensity to demand and provide independently of needs. This means that spatial equity is violated. In sum, it still matters where you live.

The activity of the hippocampus is modulated by a serotonergic projection from the midbrain. Corticosteroids regulate the activity of this raphe-hippocampal system in various ways. These effects are differentially mediated via two types of central corticosteroid receptor types, the high-affinity mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), and the lower affinity glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Under physiological fluctuations of corticosteroid concentrations, predominantly MR-mediated effects suppress the activity of the raphe-hippocampal system, notably serotonin (5-HT)1A receptor-related activity: 5-HT1A receptors are down-regulated, and the cellular response to 5-HT1A receptor activation is attenuated. Transiently increased concentrations of corticosteroids, as induced by stress, result in combined occupation of both MR and GR, and allow increased activity of the raphe-hippocampal system. Stimulatory actions of corticosteroids involving GR occupation include increased responsiveness of hippocampal neurons to 5-HT1A receptor stimulation, attenuated autoinhibition of 5-HT, and a permissive effect on stress-induced increases in 5-HT release. Under (pathological) conditions of chronically elevated corticosteroid concentrations, however, serotonergic neurotransmission is impaired. Human depression is an important example of a condition of combined hypercorticism and an apparent hypoactivity of serotonergic transmission. Deficiency of brain GR function may be genetically determined or acquired by stress. It is proposed that the balance of MR/GR activation can be altered by chronic (stress-related) changes of corticosteroid concentrations, in combination with glucocorticoid feedback resistance. Such an imbalance would lead to a relative dominance of MR-mediated suppressive effects on the activity of the raphe-hippocampal system, which may be a biologically relevant aspect of depression.

According to the classical parliamentary doctrine of majoritarian rule, governments should be large, united and accountable to the voters. Since the introduction of proportional representation in the beginning of this century, these requirements have seldom been fulfilled in Continental politics. In this article the Swedish experience of minority parliamentarism is analyzed. The conclusion is drawn that the consensus model of democracy that has been practiced in this country comes closer to the ideal of the Conservatives who a hundred years ago opposed the parliamentary system.