Anarchism in Sweden
Encyclopedia
Anarchism
was reported to have been extant in Sweden
by Mikhail Bakunin
as early as 1866. As with the movements in Germany and the Netherlands, Swedish anarchism had a strong syndicalist tendency. One of the earliest Swedish anarchists of note was the artist Ivan Aguéli
who in 1884 was arrested and sentenced in the "Trial of the thirty
" in Paris. Also prominent were Anton Nilson
, Leon Larsson
, Axel Holmström
, Albert Jensen, and Hinke Bergegren
. Bergegren edited and published nine issues of the weekly periodical Under röd flagg
, from March to June 1891. The magazine, which had an anarchist communist editorial bent, featured excerpts from the writings of prominent European anarchist intellectuals Peter Kropotkin
, Leo Tolstoy
, and Élisée Reclus
.
Anarchist ideas were prominent in the Swedish Social Democratic Party
from its founding in 1889 to the early 1900s. Bergegren headed the party's anarchist group – called Ungsocialisterna (The Young Socialists). Bergegren and Ungsocialisterna were expelled from the SDP between 1906 and 1908.
An anarcho-syndicalist trade union, Sveriges Arbetares Centralorganisation
, was founded in 1910. In 1922 it had 32,000 members. Today it has about 7,500 members and still publishes its own weekly paper, Arbetaren
.
Many Swedish anarchists joined and fought with the CNT-FAI during the Spanish Revolution
1936–1939. Among them, Nisse Lätt and Axel Österberg later published eye-witness reports from Spain.
The well-known author Stig Dagerman
remained an anarchist for his entire life.
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
was reported to have been extant in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
by Mikhail Bakunin
Mikhail Bakunin
Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin was a well-known Russian revolutionary and theorist of collectivist anarchism. He has also often been called the father of anarchist theory in general. Bakunin grew up near Moscow, where he moved to study philosophy and began to read the French Encyclopedists,...
as early as 1866. As with the movements in Germany and the Netherlands, Swedish anarchism had a strong syndicalist tendency. One of the earliest Swedish anarchists of note was the artist Ivan Aguéli
Ivan Aguéli
Ivan Aguéli also named Sheikh 'Abd al-Hādī 'Aqīlī upon his acceptance of Islam, was a Swedish wandering Sufi, painter and author. As a devotee of Ibn Arabi, his metaphysics applied to the study of Islamic esoterism and its similarities with other esoteric traditions of the world...
who in 1884 was arrested and sentenced in the "Trial of the thirty
Trial of the thirty
The Trial of the Thirty was a trial in 1894 in Paris, France, aimed at legitimizing the lois scélérates passed in 1893-1894 against the anarchist movement and restricting press freedom by proving the existence of an effective association between anarchists.Lasting from 6 August-31 October in 1894,...
" in Paris. Also prominent were Anton Nilson
Anton Nilson
Anton Nilson was a Swedish militant socialist and convicted murderer.Nilson was born and grew up in a peasant region in Skåne, the southernmost province of Sweden...
, Leon Larsson
Leon Larsson
Leon Larson , sometimes written Larsson, was a Swedish anarchist and political poet, born in Skutskär.Leon Larson’s fascination with fire is very prominent in all of his writings...
, Axel Holmström
Axel Holmström
Axel Holmström was a Swedish anarchist. He was jailed in 1906 for making anti-militarist statements. Holmström was editor of the anarchist paper Brand ....
, Albert Jensen, and Hinke Bergegren
Hinke Bergegren
Henrik "Hinke" Bergegren was a Swedish Social Democratic politician.Bergegren was an early member of the newly founded Swedish Social Democratic Party and he represented a revolutionary tendency, best described as Anarcho-syndicalism and wrote articles for Brand...
. Bergegren edited and published nine issues of the weekly periodical Under röd flagg
Under röd flagg
Under röd flagg was a weekly magazine published in Sweden in 1891 by Hinke Bergegren. Bergegren acted as the editor and publisher of the magazine. Nine issues were published from March to June 1891. Under röd flagg sought to bring together writers from the political peripheries of the...
, from March to June 1891. The magazine, which had an anarchist communist editorial bent, featured excerpts from the writings of prominent European anarchist intellectuals Peter Kropotkin
Peter Kropotkin
Prince Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin was a Russian zoologist, evolutionary theorist, philosopher, economist, geographer, author and one of the world's foremost anarcho-communists. Kropotkin advocated a communist society free from central government and based on voluntary associations between...
, Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
, and Élisée Reclus
Élisée Reclus
Élisée Reclus , also known as Jacques Élisée Reclus, was a renowned French geographer, writer and anarchist. He produced his 19-volume masterwork La Nouvelle Géographie universelle, la terre et les hommes , over a period of nearly 20 years...
.
Anarchist ideas were prominent in the Swedish Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
from its founding in 1889 to the early 1900s. Bergegren headed the party's anarchist group – called Ungsocialisterna (The Young Socialists). Bergegren and Ungsocialisterna were expelled from the SDP between 1906 and 1908.
An anarcho-syndicalist trade union, Sveriges Arbetares Centralorganisation
Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden
Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden is an anarcho-syndicalist trade union federation in Sweden. Unlike other Swedish unions, SAC organizes people from all occupations, including the unemployed, students, and the retired...
, was founded in 1910. In 1922 it had 32,000 members. Today it has about 7,500 members and still publishes its own weekly paper, Arbetaren
Arbetaren
Arbetaren is a Swedish weekly newspaper, founded in 1922. It is published by the anarcho-syndicalist union SAC, Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden....
.
Many Swedish anarchists joined and fought with the CNT-FAI during the Spanish Revolution
Spanish Revolution
The Spanish Revolution was a workers' social revolution that began during the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and resulted in the widespread implementation of anarchist and more broadly libertarian socialist organizational principles throughout various portions of the country for two to...
1936–1939. Among them, Nisse Lätt and Axel Österberg later published eye-witness reports from Spain.
The well-known author Stig Dagerman
Stig Dagerman
Stig Dagerman was a Swedish author and journalist.Stig Dagerman was one of the most prominent Swedish authors during the 1940s...
remained an anarchist for his entire life.