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Under the Counter, Under the Radar? The Business and Regulation of the Pornographic Press in Sweden 1950–1971

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2015

Klara Arnberg
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Abstract

In this article, the process leading to decriminalization of pornography in Sweden in 1971 is analyzed. The interplay between the structural institutional level and company behavior is stressed, with an emphasis on business strategies. The article shows that the division between hard-core and soft-core pornographic magazines in Sweden was quite different than the development in the United Kingdom and the United States. It also shows how the business strategies used by hard-core pornographers challenged the obscenity legislation and regulation of national distribution, making them obsolete. Even though there was fierce competition between the pornography companies, producers formed joint alternative distribution channels crucial to the survival of the industry.

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Articles
Information
Enterprise & Society , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , June 2012 , pp. 350 - 377
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2012. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Business History Conference. All rights reserved.

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References

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