Abstract

Government use of digital technology is often accompanied by high hopes of generating beneficial outcomes. Previous research has identified several instances where such initiatives have failed to meet expectations. Despite this, optimistic narratives about the potential of digital technology in government persist across policy, media, and academic discourses. Against this backdrop, this paper critically examines narratives regarding the benefits of using digital technology in the public sector. It analyzes Swedish government policy documents and evaluations published between 1961 and 2023. The study highlights recurring patterns over time and identifies three “eras” of digital government: automatic data processing, information technology, and digitalization. The findings reveal optimism in visionary policy documents that draw on contemporary and emergent technological discourses. However, evaluations of these policies present limited evidence of their enactment, leading to disillusionment about transformational outcomes. These findings situate current narratives about digital technology within a broader historical context and open pathways toward more reflective digital government policymaking.

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