Wedén survived severe tuberculosis and became a businessman in the family company, a metal manufacturing firm.

Wedén had no higher education but became a self-learned intellectual, starting with extensive reading during long sejours at tuberculosis hospitals.

Wedén also was passionately anti-Nazi and during World War II he joined the liberal party of Sweden, the People's Party, where he became city councillor, chairman of the youth organization and member of parliament.

In parliament Wedén for many years worked with housing and defence policy, but over the years he became part of the small circle of leading liberals around Bertil Ohlin, and finally Ohlin's successor as chairman and parliamentary leader.

In 1968 a Stockholm-based satirical magazine Puss published a photo collage by Lars Hillersberg depicting Wedén naked which led to the confiscation of the issue.