This thesis examines the role and perceived legitimacy of the economic expert and how the positons of economic experts has evolved during the 20th century, as seen through the lens of two debates.

Both of the debates take place around a great economic crisis in Sweden. The first, in the early 1930’s is held while the big economic upheaval of that time still rages. The second, in 1995, is held just after the so called 90’s-crisis has subdued. The aim of the theis is to see how the economic experts at the time defends and expands their authority.

The results of the theisis finds that in both cases the economic expert links the economic policies of the time before the most recent crisis will be presented as inherently linked to the problem. The new policy, which is easy to establish in the light of the old one, works as a way for the economic expert to defend the authority of the profession.

The study also finds that while the legatimacy of the economic expert during the 1930s is based on an intergration with politics, while the legatimicy for the economic expert during the 1990s stems instead from a distancing from politicans and the political sphere in general.