Sweden Political History
The genuine age of the Swedish Kingdom is debatable and still not known. It largely depends on the time when the kingdom got established as a nation. While some historians believe that Sweden became a nation at the time when Svealand was ruled over by the Svears, some others believe that formation of Sweden as one united country began only after the political unification of the Gotars and the Svears under one leader, named Erik the Great. |
However, if the former school of thought is taken to be true, the political history of Sweden would date back to year 98, when the nation was ruled by a single monarch, named Tacitus. But, if the latter assumption is true, Sweden’s political history can be considered to have begun in the 10th century. Until the early 1920s, the official title used for the monarch was “We, the king of Sweden, of the Goths and Wends". However, Carl Gustaf XIV, the present Swedish King, is the first ruler of the country to be conferred with the title of “King of Sweden”.
The first political meeting, attended by representatives of all the social groups of the Kingdom, was held in Arboga in 1435 to debate and discuss on important national issues. The opinionated assemblies of 1544 and 1527, headed by King Gustav Vasa, was attended by representatives from all the 4 estates of realm – Peasants, Townsmen, Nobility, and Clergy. It was in 1544 that the dominion was officially declared as hereditary. The dignified Privy Council and the King shared the executive power until year 1680, after which the Swedish Parliament initiated the autocratic rule of the King over the nation. This was followed by the Great Northern War, which in turn led to the establishment of a structured parliamentary system in 1719. The constitutional monarchy was refined and amended thrice; first in 1772, then in 1789, and finally in 1809. The last amendment is particularly noteworthy as it granted many liberties to the civil population of the country.
In year 1866, Sweden was declared a ‘constitutional monarchy’ with bicameral parliament, called the ‘Riksdag’. This parliament had 2 chambers. While one was elected indirectly by the local governments, the other was elected directly every 4 years through nation-wide elections. Riksdag or the parliament was finally made unicameral in year 1971, and thereafter the legislative power is shared between the king and the parliament.
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