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Swedish society was very unequal in 1900 
Much as in other Western countries, many farmers lost their lands in the 18th and 19th centuries. This led to an expanded proletariat.
Peasants appeared to be politically ignorant and simple minded to bourgeoisie/nobility and later historians, but were actually quite sophisticated and aware of their interests.
This describes a lot of what Rapport describes in "1848" and Judson in "The Habsburg Empire" in regards to the peasant politicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries
Swedish nobility still did quite well with a more capitalist society that developed in the 19th century. Their descendants are still much better off than others.
Voting statistics for European countries at the end of the 19th century. Sweden, Hungary, and Italy are quite low.
Local elections were particularly undemocratic
Early 20th century Swedish militarism
Like Prussia. Swedish farmers organized themselves under estate owners, rather than as a peasant league
A fifth of the Swedish people emigrated at the end of the 19th century. The resulting labor shortage improved workers' bargaining power and wages.
Very important point: the lack of both democratic participation and labor reform led to an alliance of both the pro-democracy liberals in the middle class and labor movement in working class - an alliance that didn't occur in Germany with liberal but not labor reforms.
Anti-alcohol movement and nonestablishment churches provided organization & training for the labor movement
Unable to win support from liberals and conservatives for a coalition government, the socialists made an alliance with the farmers. The farmers got price guarantees for crops, and socialists were able to form their government
Link to paper: academic.oup.com/past/advance-a…
