Krishantering och maktpolitik

Sammanfattning: In the beginning of 2020 the world experienced the most severe pandemic since the last globalization wave. In Scandinavia the COVID-19 outbreak was countered with similar aims but with different measures. When Denmark imposed extensive restrictions Sweden took a completely different path. This study investigates the reason why seemingly equal countries opted such different crisis management strategies during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study is based on theories of crisis management together with Joseph Nye’s theory of soft power. Power as a means in the crisis management were exercised in different ways and to varying degrees to inhibit the spread of the disease. By examining the power behavior of the countries and comparing them to the countries’ means of power a positive linear relationship was found that could explain the differences. Eight variables of power behavior and 16 variables of means of power were compared. The decisive factors were cultural but the countries’ foreign policy profile was also important together with military power.