Swedish History Lesson

[Magón]

So today I was in my school's library, and while looking around for nothing really in particular, I found a book on various European countries, mainly those in the Scandinavian region. There really wasn't much to it, and it was really kind of an uninteresting book; until I came upon Sweden.

Turns out, I know little to nothing of Sweden's history before WW2, or after WW1, but from what I've looked into it, is actually a pretty interesting time for the country. What caught my eye about Sweden was an event known as the Adalen Riots, and the shooting that took place. I did a bit of looking on wikipedia to learn more, but I don't want to just focus on the shooting, I also would like to get more insight into the Swedish Working Class of the time. It seems that during the inter-war period, Sweden was very politically spread out and radical to some degree, and to a point seemed to be very influenced by the Russian Revolution going on at the time that it took place.

So does anyone have any links or books, they could direct me to, so I can get a better look into early Swedish Working Class problems, etc? Remember I don't know much, so some entrance level stuff would be great to start off with first.

[Prometheus]

Herman Lindqvist, who seems to be a social-conservative Swedish popular historian (who generally is pretty neutral but pro-Charles XII and Gustaf III), has written a book about Swedish history on English.

As for the radicalism in Sweden.

During the 19th century, or rather it's three last decades, Sweden experienced a kind of golden age of free associations, both with social-liberal and socialist inclinations. Everywhere, club houses promoting abstinence, religion, secularism, socialism, free education for workers and union activity popped up.

It is probable that the roots for this Scandinavian phenomenon is the fact that Sweden and Norway always have been more "equal" than for example Central Europe. There was for example never really any entrenched feudal aristocracy in Sweden during the middle ages and the renaissance. Most land was always owned by free farmers.

[Smyg]

Ådalen, a truly despicable event in Swedish history. I'm afraid I don't have any links or books to help you with, but I love your initiative.

[Magón]

Yeah, it sounded pretty interesting since it involved early Trade Unions, and I don't know anything about Swedish Trade Unions of the time. That, and it was an interesting Working Class event I'd never heard of.

[Smyg]

Herman Lindqvist, who seems to be a social-conservative Swedish popular historian (who generally is pretty neutral but pro-Charles XII and Gustaf III), has written a book about Swedish history on English.


He is a fucking horrible historian, and very royalistic.

The trade unions were great, especially the syndicalistic ones, until the social democrats sold out themselves.

[Prometheus]

All countries probably have their own significant working class events, often a lot more exciting and bloody. The Swedish industrial workers were - to my knowledge - pretty organised by the 1930's. Yet, I don't really think there was any threat of revolution after at least 1918.

Overall, I will swear in church now, but I think that the route which Sweden took, namely social-democratic monopoly of power and some kind of national class cooperation treaty which only ended in the 1970's with the failure of the employee funds to materialise, was highly preferable to any potential Soviet Occupation of Sweden.

If Sweden had been turned into a Soviet puppet state, it would probably have been like Lithuania or Latvia today, or East Germany. Bad infrastructure, lot more social resentment, lot more right-wing extremism and lot more poverty.

[Smyg]

Yet, I don't really think there was any threat of revolution after at least 1918.


The hunger riots of 1917, now there was an excellent opportunity.

[Wubbaz]

From what I can read here, the development of the Danish working class is actually quite similiar to that of the Swedish ones. In 1872 a strike was organized by about 6-800 workers due to their demand of the famous "8-hour day". After this strike, public gatherings by the working class movement was outlawed by the government, but one month later, a massive gathering took place, spearheaded by the well-known Danish socialist leader Louis Pio. This gathering took place to show solidartiy with the previous protets for the "8-hour day". This gathering was repressed by massive police forces and became known as the first direct conflict between the Danish state and the working class.. really interesting stuff, though I am not able to find any English sources on the Danish working class history. It was just too bad that the majority of the working class was subdued by the social-democratic party and is still being subdued by it. The militant part of the working class, mostly syndicalists in the case of the Danish working class, was quick to part ways with the reformist social-democratic party and later joined the Danish Communist Party, which had been formed by the youth organisation of the social-democratic party.

[Crux]

Ådalen, never forgive, never forget. One direct result of that event was the law that prohibits the military and police from working together. Indeed the 1920's and 30's were very interesting times in swedish working class history. Indeed for a number of years there were two communist parties, the larger being anti-stalinist and centrist similar to the POUM. They collapsed in the 40's though, infamously one of the historical leaders, after having purged mostly everyone else turned the remnants of the party in a pro-german direction. Most of those that had been purged along with Lindbom, the other main leader returned to the socialdemocrats.

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

One direct result of that event was the law that prohibits the military and police from working together.

Wasn't this reversed only a few years ago now?

[Crux]

Wasn't this reversed only a few years ago now?
Under the current government I believe. No suprise there.

[Magón]

Ådalen, never forgive, never forget. One direct result of that event was the law that prohibits the military and police from working together. Indeed the 1920's and 30's were very interesting times in swedish working class history. Indeed for a number of years there were two communist parties, the larger being anti-stalinist and centrist similar to the POUM. They collapsed in the 40's though, infamously one of the historical leaders, after having purged mostly everyone else turned the remnants of the party in a pro-german direction. Most of those that had been purged along with Lindbom, the other main leader returned to the socialdemocrats.

Have any links or other info, on this large communist party? If it was like Sweden's POUM, you've peaked my interest already.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

If you can find information on SAC, good luck. In proportion to the country's population, they were the biggest syndicalist union in the world, covering many industries. They are still one of the more prominent syndicalist unions today, numbering around 7,000 currently, but that's nothing compared to the past. They still hold many shops and account for 1/3 of the entire countries labor disputes despite their size (just shows LO, the social-democratic union, has no backbone)

They had a massive general strike in the early 20th century that had consequences for many. A large influx of Swedish people came to the US after that due to political repression.

Just 2 topics to consider. I unfortunately have no books on either subject, just internet findings and small tidbits from other books.

[Smyg]

For some reading on the early Swedish socdems, I noticed that Marxists.org have some documents/speeches by Hjalmar Branting and August Palm. Especially care about the later.

[BOZG]

My understanding is that decent material in English is pretty non-existent. Probably worth trying to Google translate stuff produced by parties and organisations.

[Magón]

If you can find information on SAC, good luck.

I totally forgot about SAC. I'll have to check into their early 20th Century history.


For some reading on the early Swedish socdems, I noticed that Marxists.org have some documents/speeches by Hjalmar Branting and August Palm. Especially care about the later.

I'll check them out.

[aty]

SAC have a huge historical impact in swedish history. SAC was formed in the split from the larger union-movmement and had up to 50000 members during the 20s and 30s. SAC had many members taking part in the Ådalen-riots because they were very popular around those areas.
Around the same time Sweden had most strikes per year in Europe. And many workers-riots that often ended in someone getting shot.

I think that it is also very interesting looking at the nort of Sweden "Norrland". There the workers were the most radical and most of the class struggle took place in this area. Ådalen is in Norrland. Here the workers worked in mines, in the forest, industries that had something to do with the forest or mines. Swedens only "soviet" was formed in Seskarö in Norrland.
The communist party was big in some parts but also SAC was strong. So it was not very Soviet-friendly.
During the second world war the military created camps for socialists in Norrland and put thousands in these camps. At the same time they burned down socialists newspapers killing 5 people.

I think the north and the south of Sweden is like two different worlds politically in Sweden even today. The more the south of Sweden have voted right wing the north have voted more left wing.

[Absolut]

Heres a link on the history of the SAC and syndicalism in Sweden:

Syndicalism and the SAC (http://libcom.org/library/syndicalism-sac-short-introduction)

I havent read it myself, but it seems OK. I dont know of any books in English on the Swedish labour movement though.

The inter-war period in Sweden was the period the SAC was at its strongest, organizing nearly 40.000 workers. For example, the SAC was involved in 2178 conflicts between 1910-1930. Right now, I think the membership is around 5000-5500, I doubt we have more than 6000 members.

As for the social democrats, the LO made a compromise with the employers in 1906, called the December Compromise, in which they recognized the employers "right to lead and distribute work, and to freely employ and fire workers" in exchange for the workers right to organize themselves. From this point forwards, the social democrats pretty much became more and more capitalist-friendly.

[Absolut]

SAC have a huge historical impact in swedish history. SAC was formed in the split from the larger union-movmement and had up to 50000 members during the 20s and 30s. SAC had many members taking part in the Ådalen-riots because they were very popular around those areas.
Around the same time Sweden had most strikes per year in Europe. And many workers-riots that often ended in someone getting shot.

The SAC never organized that many workers, the most I've heard is 40.000, and that is including the faction that broke away in the late 20's, Syndikalistiska Arbetarfederationen (Syndicalist Workers Federation). The syndicalist movement as a whole organized around 40.000, with the SAf organizing around 2000-3000 workers, mostly in western Sweden.

In 1917, around the time of the "revolution", the SAC had the majority of the organized workers in Ådalen, I think around 700, compared to LOs 500.