1919-1929 World War II






Sweden 1929-1939


A.) Domestic Policy

The GREAT DEPRESSION had a serious impact on Sweden; unemployment rose from 11.2 % in 1929 to peak at 23.7 % in 1933. In 1932, Sweden's "Match King", believed to be a millionaire, committed suicide in Paris; it turned out that his financial empire had collapsed. In 1932 a social democratic cabinet was formed under PER ALBIN HANSSON; with the exception of a few months in 1936, the social democrats would hold on to power for the next four decades. They combined an economic policy of reducing unemployment by launching state-run programs with the vision of a FOLKHEM (people's home), i.e. an egalitarian society which provided for everybody's welfare. The longevity of social democratic rule in Sweden is unparalleled by any political party in the history of democratic nations and gives evidence of the success and popularity of this policy (of course aided by the fact that Sweden managed to stay out of World War II).
In 1935 a voluntary UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, state-supported, was introduced. The PENSION LAW of 1935 added to the pension adapted in a 1913 law, which was regarded insufficient. In 1936 the 8-hour-day was expanded to the agricultural sector, exceptions for seasonal events included. In 1938 the SALTSJÖ ACCORD established regular cooperation between Sweden's employers and labour organizations, thus reducing the danger of costly labour conflicts. PAID VACATION was introduced in 1938.
In 1934 three Riksdag members split off the Conservative Party and formed Nationella Gruppen, a nationalist organization seeking to emulate the success of fascist parties abroad. None of them was reelected in 1936, nor was any other candidate representing a ultraright nationalist organization elected into parliament. In reaction against fascist tendencies, a 1933 law forbade political organizations to wear uniforms.
In 1934 the Folkpartiet was formed, which united a number of progressive liberal groups.
Sweden observed the development in neighbouring European countries such as Germany and the USSR with concern. In 1936 Sweden adopted a rearmament policy; fortifications were established on Gotland. Sweden accepted many refugees from Germany; only in 1938, when the numbers of refugees increased drastically, was a more reluctant asylum policy adopted.

A program of INVOLUNTARY STERILIZATION of persons regarded 'genetically inferior' was introduced in 1935. It was applied, with little publicity, until 1976; an estimated 63,000 persons were subjected to it.




B.) Foreign Policy

Per Albin Hansson had been a supporter of disarmament since his early days. Sweden continued her policy of NEUTRALITY. When a plebiscite was held in the SAAR region, deciding over her political future (with Germany or France), Swedish troops were there to monitor the event.
Sweden joined the boycott of Italy proclaimed by the League of Nations after the Italian invasion of Ethiopia (1935). During the SPANISH CIVIL WAR, Sweden pursued a policy on non-intervention; Swedish volunteers fought on the side of the Republicans. In this situation, Sweden in 1936 passed a defense ordinance; the defense policy was to prepare for a potential military threat - a concession the social democrats had to make under the circumstances.


. C.) The Economy

Unemployment peaked in 1933 at 183,000. The Swedish government was influenced by the theory of BERTIL OHLIN and GUNNAR MYRDAL, who emphasized that in times of an economic depression the state should hire many unemployed to give an incentive for the economy to pick up again.
The Swedish state created c. 40,000 jobs, paying less than the lowest wages offered on the labour market. They were to maintain or build roads, to create soccer grounds etc. In 1931 Sweden went off the GOLD STANDARD.
Germany continued to be Sweden's most important trading partner; with Germany's economy picking up in 1933, so did German-Swedish trade. Germany's armament policy was of concern to Sweden; still, both Swedish iron ore and ball-bearings, necessities for Germany's industry, continued to be exported southward across the Baltic Sea. Swedish iron ore production doubled in the 1930es.
A 1939 law decided the NATIONALIZATION OF THE RAILROADS, a process that took several decades.
Despire a massive government budget deficit ever since the social democrats took power in 1932, prices remained below the 1929 level throughout the 1930es.




A.) Intellectual Life

In 1931 ERIK AXEL KARLFELDT was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In 1929, HANS VON EULER-CHELPIN had been awarded the prize for chemistry, in 1930 Archbishop of Uppsala NATHAN SÖDERBLOM the peace prize.
German writers KURT TUCHOLSKY and NELLY SACHS, fleeing Nazi Germany, were given asylum in Sweden.
In 1937 Swedish actress ZARAH LEANDER became an international movie star, featuring in "La Habanera" and "Zu neuen Ufern", movies filmed in Berlin by Danish director Detlef Sierck (later known under the name Douglas Sierck).
In architecture, in 1930 a new style, Swedish Modernism or FUNCTIONALISM dominated.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		Sveriges statsministrar genom tiderna, in Swedish, with biographies on every statsminister (prime minister)
Swedish Railway History, by Urban Fredriksson
Biography of Erik Axel Karlfeldt, from Books and Writers
Biography of Nelly Sachs, from Books and Writers
Autobiography of Bertil Ohlin, from Nobel e-Museum; Ohlin was awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize in economics.
Biography of Gunnar Myrdal, from Nobel e-Museum; Myrdal was awarded the 1974 Nobel Prize in economics.
Chronology of Swedish History, 1930-1950, by K. Polsson
Timeline of Swedish History, from timelines.ws, detailed, yet amateurish
Functionalism, from Cinema Theaters in Sweden
DOCUMENTS Swedish banknotes, from Ron Wise's World Paper Money and from Currency Museum
REFERENCE Franklin D. Scott, Sweden - A Nation's History, 1989
Rodney Lowe : The State and the Development of Social Welfare : Sweden, in : Martin Pugh (ed.), A Companion to Modern European History, 1871-1945, Oxford : Blackwell 1997, pp.63-65
A concise account of Sweden's policy in the depression years and its effect on the economy is given by Patricia Clavin, The Great Depression in Europe, 1929-1939, Basingstoke : MacMillan 2000, pp.142-143.
Per Dahl, Svensk Militärhistorisk Atlas (Swedish Military Historical Atlas), Lund : Hjalmarson & Högberg 2000, in Swedish
Chapter XXXV : The Notable Neutrals, pp.496-506 in : John Gunther, Inside Europe, 1940 war edition, NY : Harper & Bros. 1940 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1932 pp.1305-1322, 1937 pp.1336-1353 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : Americana Annual 1930 pp.732-734, 1931 pp.723-724, 1932 pp.677-678, 1933 pp.729-731, 1934 pp.561-562, 1935 pp.680-682, 1936 pp.690-692, 1937 pp.664-666, 1938 pp.658-660, 1939 pp.721-723 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : New International Year Book 1930 pp.742-743, 1932 pp.773-775, 1933 pp.775-777, 1934 pp.677-679, 1935 pp.692-693, 1938 pp.712-714, 1939 pp.745-746 [G]
Article : Sweden, in : Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Encyclopedia Year Book 1932 pp.489-490, 1933 pp.484-485, 1934 pp.490-491, 1935 pp.490-491, 1936 pp.473-475, 1937 pp.477-478, 1938 pp.476-477, 1939 pp.494-495 [G]


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on August 24th 2007

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