Sweden 1864-1890 Sweden 1914-1918






Sweden, 1890-1914



A.) Domestic Policy

In Swedish politics in the 1890es, economic policy - free trade or protectionism, was the dominating matter; in the late 1880es, old parties had split, new parties being formed, based on their stand on this matter.
In 1889, following Germany's model, a law against agitation and disobedience, was passed, directed against socialism (due to the complex franchise, the SAP was ill represented in the Riksdag (the first SAP representative being elected to the second chamber in 1897) and her operations were undertaken outside the parliamentary arena). Social policy measures included a 1900 law that forbade the employment of women in mines and during the first 4 weeks after giving birth. In 1889 a law to protect workers against accidents at work was passed. A law of 1891 provided state support for voluntary health insurance. Attempts to introduce obligatory insurances against accidents and for retirement failed; the matter, however, was repeatedly debated. In 1913 a pension law was passed, providing a small pension for citizens over 67, partially paid for by fees, partially by subsidies to be provided in part by the state, in part by the community.
Major political demands of the political left included social issues such as the shortening of the workday, and a reform of the franchise law. The voting right in Sweden was complex, as it permitted the rich MULTIPLE VOTING (which, in case of rural districts, at one instance was 'limited' to 5.000 votes !). In 1909 liberal prime minister KARL STÅFF got parliament pass a reform introducing UNIVERSAL MANHOOD SUFFRAGE based on the principle one man one vote (after Finland had introduced universal suffrage for both genders in 1906). The minimum age for voting was raised from 21 to 24, and citizens who had not completely paid their taxes over the 3 years preceding the election were excluded from participation. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION was introduced.
In 1895 the Lantmannapartiet (Farmers' Party, 1895-1911) reunited, the Folkpartiet (People's Party, 1895-1899) formed. In 1900 the Liberala Samlingspartiet (LSP, United Liberal Party, 1900-1923) was formed. In 1912 the First Chamber's National Party (1912-1934) and the Farmers' and Burghers' Party (1912-1934) were founded.
In 1903 the Landsföreningen foer kvinnornas rösträtt (Union for Women's right to vote) was established.
In 1901 mandatory military service was extended from 90 to 240 days.
While there had been a strong political movement to strengthen the army (supported, among others, by popular explorer-scientist SVEN HEDIN), pacifism had many supporters in the country. Pacifist entrepreneur-inventor and business tycoon Alfred Nobel, in his testament, had established the Nobel Peace Price, which he entrusted Norway's Storting (parliament) to administrate (at the time of his death in 1896, Norway had not yet seceded from her union with Sweden). Klas Pontus Arnoldsson, member of Sweden's second chamber of parliament, in 1883 proposed permanent neutrality of the Scandinavian countries (not adopted); in 1907 he published a pamphlet titled : "Is world peace possible ?"; in 1908 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.




B.) Foreign Policy

Formally Sweden pursued a policy of neutrality, emphasizing good relations to neighbour Denmark (co-member of the SCANDINAVIAN MONETARY UNION). The dynastic union which combined Sweden and Norway proved unpopular in Norway, and in 1905 it was dissolved peacefully, Norway then proclaiming independence.
King Oscar II. had sympathies for Germany; the German constitution provided the monarch with a larger degree of political influence than the constitutional monarchies of western Europe. The Swedish army employed a number of German advisers. German policies, such as a protectionist economic policy, social policy and anti-socialist laws, served as a model for Swedish parties and politicians. Furthermore, Germany was Sweden's most important trading partner. Even the Swedish Social Democrats looked up to the German Social Democratic Workers' Party.
Free traders and free thinkers objecting to German autoritarianism and militarism looked to Great Britain for inspiration, as most of the Norwegians did.
However, Sweden's foreign policy was dominated by the country's prime ministers, such as Liberal KARL STÅFF, who were aware of the nation's military weakness and were intent to keep the military budget in check; they avoided an adventurous foreign policy.
The Russification policy in Finland, the effects of the Russian Revolution of 1905 on Finland concerned the Swedes.
In 1908 the BALTIC SEA TREATY and NORTH SEA TREATY were signed by the adjacent nations.
Sweden was among the signatories of the Hague (Den Haag) Peace Conventions of 1899 and 1907.


C.) The Economy

The later 19th century saw an upswing in the emigration to the United States, and from the 1890es onward the industrialization of Sweden, in which the generation of hydroelectric power was important. Sweden always has been a supplier of iron; from 1890 onward, exports of iron ore, timber, paper increased dramatically. New iron ore open-cast mines were taken in operation far north in KIRUNA, to become the largest of their kind worldwide, connected with the Norwegian port of Narvik by railway (taken in operation in 1903). At the same time the number of iron ore open cast mines declined drastically, the traditionally operated smaller ones not able to compete with large-size ventures.
In 1906 a SWEDISH-GERMAN TRADE TREATY to a large degree eliminated protectionist barriers between the two countries and rekindled the import tariff debate in Sweden.
In DYNAMIT NOBEL Sweden had an international company of world fame based in Sweden. SKF, founded in 1907, had a monopoly on ball-bearings, indispensable in trains, cars and a lot of machinery. In 1912, Axel Wenner-Gren produced the first electric VACUUM CLEANER. Other export industries included match production. SCANIA began truck production in 1902.
Sweden's population rose from 4.77 million in 1890 to 5.12 million in 1900 and 5.50 million in 1910. Göteborg's population rose from 105,000 in 1890 to 168,000 in 1910, Stockholm's population from 246,000 in 1890 to 342,000 in 1910. Emigration had peaked in 1892 with 45,500, reached a low of 13,400 in 1894, stayed below 20,000 until 1900, then peaked again in 1903 at 39,500, to drop to 22,400 the following year, to stay around or beyond the 20,000 mark.




D.) Intellectual Life

Since 1885, SVEN HEDIN explored central Asia (Persia, China's western provinces, Tibet), gaining world fame through his many publications.
In 1891 SKANSEN was dedicated as an open air museum.
In 1901 the NOBEL PRIZES were awarded for the first time. The Nobel Prize for Chemistry for 1903 was awarded to Swede SVANTE ARRHENIUS. The 1908 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Swede KLAS PONTUS ARNOLDSSON. The Nobel Prize for Literature for 1909 went to Swedish childrens' books author SELMA LAGERLÖF. The 1911 Nobel Price for Physiology/Medicine went to Swede ALLVAR GULLSTRAND, the 1912 Physics Prize to his countryman NILS DALEN.
In 1905, the union with Norway dissolved, Sweden adopted her national anthem Du gamla du fria (you old, you free), a revised version of Richard Dybeck's 1844 poem Du gamla du friska (you old you fresh).
In 1906 the orthography of written Swedish was reformed.
The Swedish Sports Federation was founded in 1903. The Olympic Games of 1912 were held in Stockholm.
The first moving pictures, or cinema screening, was shown in Sweden in 1896, barely six months after first being shown by the Lumiere brothers in Paris. Soon after the first cinemas opened, such as the Saga in Kalmar, in 1906.
In 1904, Denmark and Sweden were the first countries in the world to raise funds for the fight against tuberculosis by the sales of CHRISTMAS SEALS.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		On the Scandinavian Monetary Union : Sam Vaknin, Deja V-uro : History of Previous Monetary Unions, scroll down
History of Kiruna, from Kiruna Community
Sveriges statsministrar genom tiderna, in Swedish, with biographies on every statsminister
Biography of Klas Pontus Arnoldsson, from Project Runeberg
Biography of Sven Anders Hedin, scanned from Svenskt Biografiskt Handlexikon by Project Runeberg
Biography of Sven Hedin, from Books and Writers
Electrolux Vacuum History, from Electrolux
Chronology of Sweden 1900-1929, by K. Polsson
Timeline of Swedish History, from timelines.ws, detailed, yet amateurish
Stockholm 1912 Olympics, from BBC Sport and from Hickoksports
Hjordis Levin, Neo-Malthusianism in Sweden, from Populatique
DOCUMENTS Coat of Arms of the combined Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, from Wappenlexikon, comment in German
Images from Chronik 2000 Bilddatenbank : Oscar II., King of Sweden and Norway
Poster Olympic Games Stockholm 1912, from Treasures from Europe's National Libraries
Olympic Summer Games Stockholm 1912, from Olympic Website
Official Report, Olympic Summer Games Stockholm 1912, posted by LA 84 Foundation
Swedish banknotes, from Ron Wise's World Paper Money and from Currency Museum
List of Sweden's prime ministers, from World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon
Map of Stockholm, 1893, from National Library of Russia
Soldiers' Contract of 1895, Södermanland Regiment, from Svenska Krig, scan, in Swedish
REFERENCE Franklin D. Scott, Sweden : The Nation's History, Univ. of Minnesota Press 1977
Sten Carlsson, Svensk Historia, Vol.2, Stockholm : Bonniers, 1970, pp.206-278 (in Swedish) [G]
B.R. Mitchell, International Historical Statistics : Europe 1750-1988, N.Y.: Stockton Press 1992 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1913 pp.1139-1143 on events of 1912) [G]
Article : Sweden and Norway - Sweden, in : Statesman's Year Book 1895 pp.963-978, 993-994, 1898 pp.963-978, 994-995, 1901 pp.1071-1086, 1101-1104, 1905 pp.1161-1177, 1194-1197 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : Statesman's Year Book 1910 pp.1231-1247 [G]
Article : Sweden and Norway - Sweden, in : Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events 1902 pp.660-661 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : International Year Book 1898 p.763, 1899 pp.760-761, 1900 pp.849-850 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : New International Year Book 1907 pp.754-755, 1908 pp.675-677, 1909 pp.679-682, 1913 pp.662-663 [G]
Article : Sweden and Norway, in : Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events 1894 pp.731-734 [G]
Algernon Bastard, The Gourmet's Guide to Europe (1903), posted by Gutenberg Library Online, chapter XIII pp.210-217 on Sweden, Norway, Denmark
Frederic Augustin Ogg, The Governments of Europe (1913), posted by Gutenberg Library Online, Pt.8 pp.589-603 on Sweden


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on August 7th 2008

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