Timbro
Encyclopedia
Timbro is a libertarian
, free market
think tank
and book publisher based in Stockholm
, Sweden
, that works to promote ideas, influence legislation and public opinion. Its research and analyses are centered on the core values of individual liberty
, economic freedom
, an open society
and minimizing governmental intervention in the economy.
Timbro has been accused of lobbying to restrict the freedom of the press in Sweden in response to Wikileaks
. Timbro has challenged the accusations arguing that freedom of expression and media freedom are fundamental values in a free society which the organization works to promote.
In its modern form, Timbro was founded in 1978 by the Swedish Employers' Association (which in 2001 merged with the Swedish Industrial Association to form the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
). Timbro is a subsidiary of the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation, which is financed by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
Originally, Timbro was founded as a book publisher by bank director Ernfrid Browaldh (1889-1982), later CEO of Svenska Handelsbanken. He named it after his two children Tom and Ing-Marie Browaldh, and later donated the publishing company to a predecessor of the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation. Timbro was brought out of its dormant state when the Swedish Employers' Association became more active in political lobbying from the mid-1970s under chairmanship by Curt Nicolin.
Other notable people currently or previously associated with Timbro include Johan Norberg
, Fredrik Erixon
, Johnny Munkhammar
, Fredrik Segerfeldt, Erik Zsiga, Kristian Karlsson, Dick Kling, Dick Erixon
, Mattias Svensson
, Sven Otto Littorin, Ulf Kristersson
, Henrik Landerholm, Christofer Fjellner
, Johan Forssell
and Carl Rudbeck.
Fredrik Elgh, COO
Eva Cooper, Project Manager, Welfare and reform
Roland Poirier Martinsson, Executive Director, Timbro Media Institute
Lydiah Walsten, Project Manager, Environment, growth and consumption
Philip Lerulf, Philip Lerulf, Researcher and Project Manager Folkkapitalism
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
, free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
and book publisher based in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, that works to promote ideas, influence legislation and public opinion. Its research and analyses are centered on the core values of individual liberty
Liberty
Liberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions...
, economic freedom
Economic freedom
Economic freedom is a term used in economic and policy debates. As with freedom generally, there are various definitions, but no universally accepted concept of economic freedom...
, an open society
Open society
The open society is a concept originally developed by philosopher Henri Bergson and then by Austrian and British philosopher Karl Popper. In open societies, government is purported to be responsive and tolerant, and political mechanisms are said to be transparent and flexible...
and minimizing governmental intervention in the economy.
Timbro has been accused of lobbying to restrict the freedom of the press in Sweden in response to Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
. Timbro has challenged the accusations arguing that freedom of expression and media freedom are fundamental values in a free society which the organization works to promote.
In its modern form, Timbro was founded in 1978 by the Swedish Employers' Association (which in 2001 merged with the Swedish Industrial Association to form the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
Confederation of Swedish Enterprise
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise is a major interest organisation for business and industry in Sweden. It has 48 member associations representing close to 55.000 member companies with more than 1.5 million employees....
). Timbro is a subsidiary of the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation, which is financed by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
Originally, Timbro was founded as a book publisher by bank director Ernfrid Browaldh (1889-1982), later CEO of Svenska Handelsbanken. He named it after his two children Tom and Ing-Marie Browaldh, and later donated the publishing company to a predecessor of the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation. Timbro was brought out of its dormant state when the Swedish Employers' Association became more active in political lobbying from the mid-1970s under chairmanship by Curt Nicolin.
Chief executive officers
Chief executive officers of Timbro have been:- Mats SvegforsMats SvegforsMats Svegfors , is a Swedish journalist and politician. He was editor-in-chief of Svenska Dagbladet from 1991 to 2000 and governor of Västmanland County from 2000 to 2009.- References :...
, 1981–1983 - Mats JohanssonMats JohanssonMats Johansson, born in 1951, is a Swedish politician of the Moderate Party. He has been a member of the Riksdag since 2006.- External links :*...
, - Odd Eiken,
- P. J. Anders Linder, 1996–2000
- Mattias Bengtsson, 2000–2004
- Cecilia Stegö ChilòCecilia Stegö ChilòMarie Cecilia Stegö Chilò was the Swedish Minister for Culture for ten days, from October 6, 2006 to October 16, 2006. Prior to her appointment as a cabinet member she was Chief executive officer of the Swedish Free Enterprise Foundation , and Director of Timbro, a neoliberal, free-market...
, 2005–2006 - Maria Rankka, 2006–2010
- Markus Uvell, 2010–present
Other notable people currently or previously associated with Timbro include Johan Norberg
Johan Norberg
Johan Norberg is a Swedish author and historian, devoted to promoting economic globalization and liberal positions. He is arguably most known as the author of In Defense of Global Capitalism...
, Fredrik Erixon
Fredrik Erixon
Fredrik Erixon is a Swedish economist and writer.Erixon was educated at the University of Oxford, London School of Economics and Uppsala University.He is married with two children.-External links:* *...
, Johnny Munkhammar
Johnny Munkhammar
Johnny Mattias Munkhammar is a Swedish political writer and blogger.He is an entrepreneur and author of several books. Today, he is a Member of Parliament in Sweden for the Moderate Party....
, Fredrik Segerfeldt, Erik Zsiga, Kristian Karlsson, Dick Kling, Dick Erixon
Dick Erixon
Dick Erixon is a Swedish writer and blogger. Erixon worked at the Swedish liberal think-tank Timbro from 1995 to 1997, and at the Swedish Enterprise Media Institute from 1994 to 1995...
, Mattias Svensson
Mattias Svensson
Mattias Svensson is a Swedish libertarian writer and political commentator. He is currently working as an editor at the Swedish libertarian magazine Neo....
, Sven Otto Littorin, Ulf Kristersson
Ulf Kristersson
Ulf Hjalmar Kristersson is a Swedish Moderate Party politician and one of the vice mayors in Stockholm. He was born in Skåne and grew up there and in Södermanland. After finishing secondary school at S:t Eskils gymnasium in Eskilstuna and completing a degree in economics at Uppsala University, he...
, Henrik Landerholm, Christofer Fjellner
Christofer Fjellner
Gustav Christofer Ingemar Fjellner is a Swedish politician and Member of the European Parliament. He is a member of the Moderate Party, part of the European People's Party - European Democrats group....
, Johan Forssell
Johan Forssell
Carl Johan Henrik Forssell is a Swedish Moderate Party politician serving as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.- Personal life and education :...
and Carl Rudbeck.
Current staff
Hakan Tribell, Director of program developmentFredrik Elgh, COO
Eva Cooper, Project Manager, Welfare and reform
Roland Poirier Martinsson, Executive Director, Timbro Media Institute
Lydiah Walsten, Project Manager, Environment, growth and consumption
Philip Lerulf, Philip Lerulf, Researcher and Project Manager Folkkapitalism
See also
- CivitaCivitaCivita is a Norwegian liberal think tank which gains support from, among others, the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. In the beginning, it was led by Terje Svabø, but prominent Conservative Party politician Kristin Clemet took over on November 16, 2006 after having central roles in many...
- Classical liberalismClassical liberalismClassical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
- Laissez faire
- Non-governmental organizations in SwedenNon-governmental organizations in Sweden- Business & Industry :*Confederation of Swedish Enterprise *Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations *Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees...