The purpose of this study is to summarize and analyze the swedish reception and public discussion of the book The Capital in the Twenty-First Century by the french economist Thomas Piketty. Reviews and articles from printed mass media are discussed and reflected upon with help from the reception theory developed by Hans Robert Jauss. Three conclusions are presented in the study. The first conclusion is that the comments and the critique of Piketty’s book depend upon other comments and critical points expressed in the collected reception. The second conclusion is that the swedish reception is heavily influenced by how the book by Piketty has been read and discussed in an anglo-american context. The third and final conclusion is that the swedish reception can be divided into two historical phases which differs in terms of how the book is perceived.