Between Tradition and the Welfare State: Local development through local politics in Sweden 1863-1919

Last changed: 17 June 2024

My dissertation project focuses on local politics in Sweden between 1863 and 1919. I study local power and decision making in relation to the large changes taking place during a time characterized by processes like industrialization and modernization. Additionally, I explore the relationship between the structural conditions, such as the municipality reform of 1862, and local decision making.

In my dissertation project, I use minutes from the municipal assemblies of two Swedish municipalities in order to study local politics and local development. By studying what was decided, how and by whom, I aim to understand the impact local power structures, the municipal voting system and related legislation had on the local development and how this related to the general, Swedish development during industrialization.

The two municipalities in this study are situated in the county Dalarna, at the time of the study known as Kopparberg county. The mixed composition of farming and industry in the municipalities makes them interesting study objects when examining the relationship between industrialization and the new political system on municipality level, which gave companies the same right to vote as the rest of the population. The dissertation project is part of the larger project Människor i brytningstid, studying the same area.