However, the government parties have, of course, the opportunity to initiate steps to strengthen or weaken opinion in a society, to the extent that the policy makers see viewpoint consensus as a problem; which of course they should do if they attach any importance to a number of things essential to a democratic society: free, non-politically-driven research, conceptual pluralism, aesthetic diversity in areas such as architecture, literature and visual arts; ideological and opinion-related tolerance.

Sweden has traditionally been a society where opinion convergence is great. The country's stance during the 1900s has been underpinned by notions that it is stupid to pick a fight, that it is always more sophisticated to keep a distance from conflict and not choose sides except on idealistic grounds, when fighting for certain principles. In some sense, history has proved us right.

Sweden's appeasement in World War II created an economic advantage in...