Fourteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Why did Sweden become the first immigration-friendly society among the Nordic Countries? It is evident that even in quite homogenous Nordic countries global flows yield different social changes. Universalist tendencies apart this also means that Nordic societies will be more diversified. Despite a common culture, the History of Scandinavia is history of continual wars. Sweden took the leading position in Northern Europe after 1658. Old Danish territories in the north then became Swedish. Denmark then shrunk more in the 19th century, when its southern parts were ceded to Germany. Sweden’s strong position entirely ended in 1809, when its eastern parts (Finland) were ceded to Russia. Rivalry between Russia and Germany now had started in the Baltic area. While Finland (until 1809 part of Sweden) and Norway (from late middle ages part of Denmark, and union with Sweden 1814-1905) became states build on Hegelian principles and philosophy, in Sweden state philosophy was more Kantian. Hegelian philosophy also had a strong stand in Denmark, where the prevalence of ideas of revanche were more common than in Sweden. How did the Swedish parliament during the late nineteenth century see Sweden’s role in the future, and its own cultural institutions? How did those views differ from views among parliament members in other Nordic countries? This paper deals with some of the central views shared by parliament members, concerning institutions like Church, Military, and School. By tracing lines through the history to our own times we can understand attitudes towards the questions of migration.