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Structural changes in society have often been related to social problems such as crime, alcoholism and social elimination. In this analysis of the development of social elimination in Sweden during the period 1860-1975, which is mainly based on official data, it is demonstrated that there is not always a causal relationship between structural change and such social problems. If structural changes lead to social problems or not depend on whether the structural changes occur according to a "Budding" or an "Ex­pansion" model.

The historical period in which a rapid structural change followed the "Budding" model closely was the time right before and after the turn of the century in which the final leap into the industrial society occured. This was a period characterized by an increasing number of industries, communities and organizations. During this period the structural changes increased the legal economic opportunities, strengthened the social and cultural integration as well as the informal social control within the working class. This period was also a period with decreasing human malad­justment symptoms and social elimination.

After World War II a new period of rapid structural changes occured. But now the development followed closely to the "Expansion" model. This was a period when different subsystems in society became larger, more centra­lized specialized and difficult to survey. The consequences were not only more individual freedom and higher standards of living but also many individuals experienced a great deal of social stress together with a decreasing social and cultural integration. Increasing opportunities for crime and drugs to­gether with a decreasing social control increased the risks for social mal­adjustment for many people. This latter period can also be described as a period of rapidly increasing human maladjustment symptoms and increasing social elimination of the socially maladjusted.