The role of psychological defence in total defence
Total defence is Sweden’s collective defence in the event of war or threat of war. Total defence shall protect and defend the country, human life and health, society’s functions, democracy and human rights. If total defence works well and if the outside world knows that this is the case, the inclination of others to attack or exert pressure on Sweden will diminish.
Total defence consists of two components – military defence and civil defence. Military defence consists of the Swedish Armed Forces and aims to defend the country against armed attacks and other threats.
Civil defence means all measures taken by authorities, municipalities, regions, the business sector, NGOs, faith communities and individuals to prepare Sweden for war. The objectives of civil defence include securing essential services, protecting the civilian population and maintaining society’s resilience to external pressures.
In peacetime, civil defence focuses on contingency planning and strengthening Sweden’s defence capabilities. It is also a matter of ensuring access to basic resources such as drinking water, food and energy in the event of war, as well as supporting the Swedish Armed Forces as needed.
Mini talk: Why is psychological defence needed?
Information influence is a threat to Sweden, our democracy and your organisation. By actively communicating with our target groups and being aware of where we are vulnerable, we strengthen psychological defence together.
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Psychological defence and its role in total defence
Psychological defence is an important part of civil defence and concerns protecting society from malign information influence by antagonistic foreign powers. This type of influence aims to manipulate people’s beliefs, behaviour and decision-making by spreading misleading or false information, often on the internet and on social media. The purpose of such influence is to create uncertainty, reduce trust in democratic institutions and destabilise society. When society is vulnerable, it will be easier for antagonistic foreign powers to achieve their goals without resorting to military means.
In order to reinforce psychological defence, we need to improve knowledge about malign information influence. We achieve this by educating agencies, municipalities, regions, civil society and the Swedish population. By improving awareness and understanding of these threats, we can better withstand them and thus strengthen the resilience of our society.
Public-sector actors have a particular responsibility
Public-sector actors have a particular responsibility in total defence as they deal with essential information and services. It is therefore crucial that they:
- Understand and are able to deal with malign information influence so that they may swiftly counter the influence.
- Disseminate accurate and reliable information to maintain the trust of the population.
- Cooperate with other actors in total defence, including the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, to strengthen preparedness in society.
By being aware of total defence and psychological defence, public-sector actors can help to ensure a resilient and safe society, even in times of crisis or war.
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In order to understand our present and future, we need to understand our history and how psychological defence has evolved.
The next step
Malign information influence from antagonistic foreign powers