Sweden has had and still has a very good economy. Their economy has had a few downfalls but nothing bad that has lasted very long. Their economy has been known to be the most stable in European presence and it is widely referred to as the Swedish Plan. The economy just didn't get like this; it had to start somewhere and somehow.
If it was counted as having an economy just to be settled then the Swedish economy started just as the Ice age receded. That time was known as the Stone Age and the people were hunters, gatherers and seamen. As time went on to the Bronze Age evidence shows that southern Sweden was richly populated. The evidence that supports this idea is the remains of giant market places and central gatherings. Since there were marketplaces there must have been a trading system to trade back and forth fairly. In the ninths and tenths centuries the Vikings started colonizing the southern and eastern parts of Sweden. They brought again a system of trading, along with raiding and colonization of further lands to gain more money. Later in thirteen eighty-nine the country along with Denmark and Norway became under rule of one monarchy. This union known as the Kalmar Union was not a political union and Sweden broke away. They returned under their own crown and grew as a country in the seventeenth century to become one of the strongest military powers. To be able to keep this status their government had to keep the economy in balance to support the country and its battles against the Baltic and Scandinavian powers. It proved its financial superiority by joining a thirty years war and winning it. Then a great downfall for Sweden took place in eighteenth century. Russia rose to power and though out the Great Northern War took control over most of northern. It split Sweden in attempts to limit is economic power. By doing so it created a Russian controlled country known as Finland. (Which later would break free and create it's own government).