Sweden 2005

According to ehistorylib, in 2005, Sweden had a population of just over 9 million people. The economy was largely based on the export of goods such as machinery and electronic equipment. Foreign relations between Sweden and other countries were generally positive. In 2005, Sweden joined the European Union and became part of the Schengen Agreement which allowed for free movement within Europe. The politics in Sweden were dominated by the Social Democratic Party which was led by Göran Persson. This party included both parties from the Left and Right of the political spectrum and was based on a social democratic platform. The government focused on economic development, poverty reduction and improving access to education and healthcare services for its citizens. There were also plans to hold elections in 2006 which would determine the new leadership of the country. Overall, it seemed that there were promising prospects for political stability and economic growth in Sweden during this period.

The breakthrough of democracy

During the first two decades of the 20th century, political life was dominated by the closely intertwined issues of voting, parliamentary and defense. As early as the 1890s, an out-of-parliamentary voting rights movement with general and equal voting rights appeared on the program, with support mainly from socialists and radical liberals. The increase in conscription time gave the voting friends an argument that made a deep impression on the conservative camp (“a man, a voice, a rifle”). Around the turn of the century, most people considered voting reform as inevitable; however, opinions differed on its design. The left wanted to introduce general voting rights without restrictions and with the emphasis of power placed on the elected second chamber. The right, supported by some liberal peasants, wanted an extension of voting rights with guarantees of continued influence for the well-off. The electoral reform carried out by the Prime Minister and the right-wing leader Arvid Lindman in 1907–09 meant a victory for the latter line. It gave the men general voting rights to the Second Chamber, cut the number of votes in municipal elections to a maximum of 40 but, on the other hand, introduced proportional elections to both chambers and so-called ‘dashes’, which mainly affected lower income earners. The right retained power over the first chamber and a strong position in the second. The First Chamber’s veto on constitutional issues effectively prevented a more radical constitutional reform. payout line that mainly affected lower income earners. The right retained power over the first chamber and a strong position in the second. The First Chamber’s veto on constitutional issues effectively prevented a more radical constitutional reform. payout line that mainly affected lower income earners. The right retained power over the first chamber and a strong position in the second. The First Chamber’s veto on constitutional issues effectively prevented a more radical constitutional reform.

• Also see abbreviationfinder.org for how the acronym SE stands for the country of Sweden and other meanings of this two-letter abbreviation.

The class contradictions continued to be large and became clear during the 1909 strike. The Second Chamber election in 1911 became a victory for the left, Lindman resigned and a liberal government was formed under Karl Staaff. At the same time, the growing contradictions put the defense issue on the agenda. According to his election promises, Staaff tried to hold back on defense spending. the construction of an already decided armor boat (the F-boat). The reaction from the defense-friendly right became violent and manifested itself, among other things. in Sven Hedin’s pamphlet “A Warning Word” (1912) and in the farmer’s train to the king, Gustaf V (1907-50), who in his courtyard figure supported the farmers’ demands for defense reinforcements (February 1914). Staaff saw in the king’s action a violation of the principles of parliamentarism and submitted his resignation application (see the courtyard crisis). A royal government official was formed under Hjalmar Hammarskjöld, who was able to remain until 1917 thanks to the peace peace between the parties following the outbreak of the First World War. Hammarskjöld pursued a strict neutrality policy, but through his uncompromising attitude he made a trade policy settlement with Britain difficult, and from 1916 increased dissatisfaction in the light of commodity shortages, inflation and rationing (“Hunger shield”). Discontent and class contradictions increased, and revolutionary moods spread. By breaking out of the Social Democratic Party, a Socialist Left Party was formed, which under varying party designations – first Sweden’s Social Democratic Left Party, then Sweden’s Communist Party, Sweden’s Socialist Party (“Kilbom Communists”), the Left Party Communists,

In the spring of 1917 Hammarskjöld resigned, and after a left victory in the second parliamentary elections in the autumn, a liberal-social democratic coalition government was formed under Nils Edén, an event which is usually referred to as the definitive breakthrough of modern parliamentaryism. Impressed by Germany’s defeat, in 1918–21, a constitutional reform was implemented that removed most of the remaining restrictions on political democracy. The women were given the right to vote for the second chamber, the strike line was abolished as was the forty-degree scale, which led to the first chamber’s democratization. At the same parliament, an eight-hour working day was also decided.

Historical overview