The article "Changing Balance: The Participation and Role of Voluntary Organisations in the Swedish Policy Process" by Erik Lundberg explores the evolving role and participation of voluntary organizations in Sweden's policy process from 1964 to 2009:

• Overview:
  • Lundberg examines the participation of voluntary organizations in the Swedish policy-making process, focusing on their role in relation to the state over time.
  • Utilizing data from the remiss procedure (a key part of Swedish policy-making), the study observes a reduced formal role for voluntary organizations, with changes in participation patterns and types of organizations involved.
• Key Findings:
  • The number of voluntary organizations participating in policy-making remained stable, but their relative share decreased due to an increase in state and market actors' participation.
  • There has been a shift from conflict-oriented and member-benefit-oriented organizations towards consensus-oriented and public-benefit-oriented organizations.
  • Interest, critical, and community-based organizations have become less active and less consulted by the state, while service organizations have slightly increased their participation.
  • The article suggests a potential trend towards a changing role of voluntary organizations from focusing on influencing policy inputs to being more involved in service delivery or policy outputs.
• Conceptual Framework:
  • Lundberg categorizes voluntary organizations based on their orientation (conflict vs. consensus) and benefit focus (member benefit vs. public benefit), noting shifts in their participation in the remiss procedure.
  • The study addresses broader changes in the Swedish policy process, including Europeanization, new governance modes, and shifts towards decentralization and privatization, which have influenced the participation of voluntary organizations.
• Implications for Policy and Democracy:
  • The changing patterns of participation may reflect broader shifts in the relationship between the state and civil society, potentially impacting the democratic role of voluntary organizations as intermediaries between citizens and the state.
  • While voluntary organizations continue to play a significant role in policy-making, the nature of their participation and influence appears to be evolving, with implications for their role in supporting democracy and public service delivery.
• Research Limitations and Future Directions:
  • Lundberg acknowledges limitations, including the study's focus on formal participation in the remiss procedure and the need for further research to explore these trends across different policy arenas and types of organizations.
  • The findings suggest a need for comparative studies to understand the extent and implications of these trends in other contexts and policy fields.

This summary highlights the article's exploration of the shifting dynamics between voluntary organizations and the state in Sweden's policy process, indicating a nuanced evolution in their roles and participation over time.