Gunnar Myrdal was a prominent Swedish economist, sociologist and politician. He is best known for his groundbreaking work on race relations in the United States, "An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy" (1944), which received widespread acclaim. Myrdal also served as Sweden's Minister of Trade and Commerce, ambassador to India and chairman of the Social Democratic Party. Synonyms for Myrdal might include "scholar," "researcher," "public intellectual," "political figure" and "statesman." He was a significant influence on the development of social democratic policies in Sweden and throughout the world, and his work on race and democracy continues to be studied and debated today.