Tage Erlander was born in Ransäter, Värmland County, to Alma Erlander (née Nilsson) and Erik Gustaf Erlander. On his maternal grandmother's side, Erlander descended from the Forest Finns, who migrated to Värmland from the Finnish province of Savonia in the 17th century. As a student at Lund University Erlander was heavily involved in student politics and met many politically radical students. He graduated in political science and economics in 1928. From 1928 till 1929 he completed his compulsory military service in the Signals Corps and eventually went on to become a reserve Lieutenant. Erlander was a member of the editorial staff of the encyclopedia "Svensk Upplagsbok" from 1929 to 1938.