Douglas V. Verney

THE FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN SWEDEN : THE SWIFT RISE AND FALL OF SWEDISH LIBERALISM

THERE have been three main elements in the creation of modern Sweden. Constitutionally, Sweden was modernized in 1809 and 1866 (and again in 1970). Politically, modernization occurred between 1900 and 1920 when the union with Norway was dissolved (1905), the franchise for the lower house was extended (1907-9), parliamentary government was established (191 7) and universal suffrage was introduced (19 18-21). Socially and econornically, Sweden is thought to have become a social democracy after the victory of the Social Democratic Party in 1932. And since today there is more interest in the social-economic policies of Sweden than in constitutional and parliamentary reform it is often assumed that ‘modern Sweden’ dates from 1932. It is this notion that I shall challenge by a reappraisal of the era of Swedish political Liberalism, from 1900 to 1920. The three foundations may be broadly described as follows:

The future of the Social Science Research Council of Canada: An Academy of the Social Sciences?

It has long been suggested that &dquo;something more must be done for the social sciences&dquo;. Since 1940 there has been a Social Science Research Council of Canada (SSRCC). Since 1957 American foundation support for the social sciences in Canada (funded through SSRCC) has been replaced by that of the Canada Council, which funds individual scholars 1. Since 1964 the Canada Council has made efforts to ensure that there have been social scientists among the directors of the Council. Since 1969, the SSRCC has been reorganized as a council of learned societies 2. Since 1970 there has been a Canada Council subvention to the SSRCC and since 1972 there has been a director, on leave from his university, to consider the future structure and role of the SSRCC. In 1973, the subvention from the Canada Council was increased from 50 000 to 200 000 dollars. Not only has &dquo;something been done for the social sciences&dquo;, but scholarly advisers to the government of Canada have suggested that even more be done, and that the approach to the social sciences should be as professional as it is for natural sciences. The first such report, published by the SSRCC itself in 1968, consisted of studies by Mabel F. Timlin and Albert Faucher, entitled The social sciences in Canada. In 1969, the Macdonald Report proposed the establishment of a Humanities and Social Science Council to replace the present umbrella Canada Council 3. In early 1972 the Lamontagne Report suggested that in addition to what it called a Foundation for the Humanities