Arvid Lindman
Encyclopedia
Salomon Arvid Achates Lindman (19 September 1862 – 9 December 1936) was a Swedish
Rear Admiral
, Industrialist and conservative
politician
. He was the leader of the right-wing General Electoral Union
(Allmänna valmansförbundet) between 1912 and 1935 and leader of Lantmanna- och borgarepartiet (a member party of the General Electoral Union) from 1913 to 1935, except for a short while during 1917 when he served as Minister for Foreign Affairs
. He also served twice as Prime Minister of Sweden
, from 1906 to 1911 and from 1928 to 1930.
Lindman married Annie Almström in 1888, with whom he had three children. He was a cousin of Alex Lindman.
, Sweden
as the son of managing director Achates Lindman and Ebba Dahlgren. His career as a naval officer 1882-92 reached its peak in 1907 when he was appointed as Rear Admiral
in the naval reserve. During his political career following this he became known primarily as "the Admiral". Lindman was CEO of Iggesunds Bruk
from 1892 to 1903 and of Strömbacka bruks AB between 1903 and 1923. In 1904 he also became Director-general
of Televerket
.
He had in 1902 declined the post as Minister of Finance in Boström's
second cabinet but started a political career in 1905 when he became both Minister of the Navy in Lundeberg's
broad-based cabinet and a member of the Riksdag
's first chamber.
When Staaff's
liberal
cabinet fell on the question of suffrage
, Lindman became Prime Minister of a moderate-conservative government. Through great political skill Lindman managed to solve the question of suffrage through the decision on universal suffrage for men according to the principle of double proportionality, that is with proportional elections for both chambers. During the six years in government he oversaw a number of reforms in the areas of industry, schools and social politics. A defence committee was appointed, decisions was made to build up the navy and the international position of Sweden was confirmed in the Nordic- and Baltic Sea agreements. Political and economic opposition resulted in the general strike
of 1909. But the strike failed, and the right-wing government could stay in power.
The extended suffrage contributed to a success for the left-wing parties, the liberals and the social democrats in the election for the second chamber in 1911. Lindman transferred to the second chamber where he was chairman for the second-chamber right 1912-35, with an interruption in 1917 when he became Minister for Foreign Affairs in Swartz's
cabinet. As a leading right-wing politician he had given advice to the King about the creation of the Hammarskjöld
and Swartz cabinets, with the goal of blocking the more hard-edged conservative leader of the first-chamber right, Ernst Trygger
.
During the years 1913-35 Lindman was chairman for the national organisation for the right-wing parties, the General Electoral Union, and as such was a driving force in the work to modernize the party organisation, especially after the constitutional change in 1918 which instituted universal male suffrage. Among other things he hired an airplane to take him on speaking tours of the country and introduced the political poster.
After a hard electoral campaign in 1928, when the Social Democrats had made great losses in the election, Lindman formed a right-wing government in minority, after the liberals and the freeminded had turned down the King's request for a broader center-right majority government. Among the things this government did, the calling of the conference on peace in the workplace (a move to try to end frequent strikes and lock-outs) in 1928 is worth mentioning. The government resigned in 1930 after the freeminded and the social democrats had blocked the proposition for raised customs duty on grain, the goal of which was the strengthening of the agrarian sector.
Lindman was a modern kind of party leader, who with involvement and eloquence turned directly to the voters. Both as an industrialist and as a politician he was very energetic and goal oriented. He was a pragmatic conservative without losing his principles. He was a good political peace-broker, who could sought a policy of compromise with his political adversaries. During the growth of the anti-democratic movements in Europe he acted as a guardian for the principles of government by the people, and he spoke out strongly against nazism
and fascism
. When his party's youth organisation started organising uniformed fascist action groups in the 1930s, he saw to it that they were expelled from the party . The "honest thanks over the battle lines" from the social democratic leader Per Albin Hansson
when Lindman resigned as party leader in favor of the younger academic and professor Gösta Bagge in 1935 was an expression of the wide ranging respect that he had.
Lindman died in an aircraft crash
on 9 December 1936, when the Douglas DC-2
in which he was travelling crashed into houses near Croydon Airport
just after taking off in thick fog.
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....
Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
, Industrialist and conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the leader of the right-wing General Electoral Union
Moderate Party
The Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament...
(Allmänna valmansförbundet) between 1912 and 1935 and leader of Lantmanna- och borgarepartiet (a member party of the General Electoral Union) from 1913 to 1935, except for a short while during 1917 when he served as Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the foreign minister of Sweden and the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.The office was instituted in 1809 as a result of the constitutional Instrument of Government promulgated in the same year. Until 1876 the office was called Prime Minister for Foreign...
. He also served twice as Prime Minister of Sweden
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
, from 1906 to 1911 and from 1928 to 1930.
Lindman married Annie Almström in 1888, with whom he had three children. He was a cousin of Alex Lindman.
Biography
Arvid Lindman was born in UppsalaUppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, 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....
as the son of managing director Achates Lindman and Ebba Dahlgren. His career as a naval officer 1882-92 reached its peak in 1907 when he was appointed as Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in the naval reserve. During his political career following this he became known primarily as "the Admiral". Lindman was CEO of Iggesunds Bruk
Iggesund Paperboard
Iggesund Paperboard is a commission company of the Holmen Group and Europe's third largest manufacturer of high quality virgin fibre paperboard. Iggesund has a market share of about 20% in this sector.-History:...
from 1892 to 1903 and of Strömbacka bruks AB between 1903 and 1923. In 1904 he also became Director-general
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...
of Televerket
Televerket
Televerket is the name of two government telecommunications agencies:*Televerket , former name of Swedish company Telia, later merged to TeliaSonera.*Televerket, former name of Norwegian company Telenor...
.
He had in 1902 declined the post as Minister of Finance in Boström's
Erik Gustaf Boström
Erik Gustaf Bernhard Boström was a Swedish landowner and politician, who was a member of the Swedish Parliament and Prime Minister of Sweden twice . He was also known as E.G. Boström or E. Gust...
second cabinet but started a political career in 1905 when he became both Minister of the Navy in Lundeberg's
Christian Lundeberg
Christian Lundeberg was a Swedish politician who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 2 August to 7 November 1905....
broad-based cabinet and a member of the Riksdag
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
's first chamber.
When Staaff's
Karl Staaff
Karl Albert Staaff was a Swedish liberal politician and lawyer. He was chairman of the Liberal Coalition Party and served twice as Prime Minister of Sweden ....
liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
cabinet fell on the question of suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
, Lindman became Prime Minister of a moderate-conservative government. Through great political skill Lindman managed to solve the question of suffrage through the decision on universal suffrage for men according to the principle of double proportionality, that is with proportional elections for both chambers. During the six years in government he oversaw a number of reforms in the areas of industry, schools and social politics. A defence committee was appointed, decisions was made to build up the navy and the international position of Sweden was confirmed in the Nordic- and Baltic Sea agreements. Political and economic opposition resulted in the general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
of 1909. But the strike failed, and the right-wing government could stay in power.
The extended suffrage contributed to a success for the left-wing parties, the liberals and the social democrats in the election for the second chamber in 1911. Lindman transferred to the second chamber where he was chairman for the second-chamber right 1912-35, with an interruption in 1917 when he became Minister for Foreign Affairs in Swartz's
Carl Swartz
Carl Johan Gustaf Swartz was a Swedish right-wing politician who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 30 March 1917 to 19 October 1917...
cabinet. As a leading right-wing politician he had given advice to the King about the creation of the Hammarskjöld
Hjalmar Hammarskjöld
Knut Hjalmar Leonard Hammarskjöld was a Swedish politician, scholar, cabinet minister, Member of Parliament from 1923 to 1938 , and Prime Minister of Sweden from 1914 to 1917....
and Swartz cabinets, with the goal of blocking the more hard-edged conservative leader of the first-chamber right, Ernst Trygger
Ernst Trygger
Ernst Trygger was a Swedish jurist professor and conservative politician. He served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1923 to 1924. He also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1928 to 1930 in the government of Arvid Lindman...
.
During the years 1913-35 Lindman was chairman for the national organisation for the right-wing parties, the General Electoral Union, and as such was a driving force in the work to modernize the party organisation, especially after the constitutional change in 1918 which instituted universal male suffrage. Among other things he hired an airplane to take him on speaking tours of the country and introduced the political poster.
After a hard electoral campaign in 1928, when the Social Democrats had made great losses in the election, Lindman formed a right-wing government in minority, after the liberals and the freeminded had turned down the King's request for a broader center-right majority government. Among the things this government did, the calling of the conference on peace in the workplace (a move to try to end frequent strikes and lock-outs) in 1928 is worth mentioning. The government resigned in 1930 after the freeminded and the social democrats had blocked the proposition for raised customs duty on grain, the goal of which was the strengthening of the agrarian sector.
Lindman was a modern kind of party leader, who with involvement and eloquence turned directly to the voters. Both as an industrialist and as a politician he was very energetic and goal oriented. He was a pragmatic conservative without losing his principles. He was a good political peace-broker, who could sought a policy of compromise with his political adversaries. During the growth of the anti-democratic movements in Europe he acted as a guardian for the principles of government by the people, and he spoke out strongly against nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
. When his party's youth organisation started organising uniformed fascist action groups in the 1930s, he saw to it that they were expelled from the party . The "honest thanks over the battle lines" from the social democratic leader Per Albin Hansson
Per Albin Hansson
Per Albin Hansson , was a Swedish politician, chairman of the Social Democrats from 1925 and two-time Prime Minister in four governments between 1932 and 1946, governing all that period save for a short-lived crisis in the summer of 1936, which he ended by forming a coalition government with his...
when Lindman resigned as party leader in favor of the younger academic and professor Gösta Bagge in 1935 was an expression of the wide ranging respect that he had.
Lindman died in an aircraft crash
1936 KLM Croydon accident
The 1936 KLM Croydon accident was the crash of a KLM airliner on 9 December 1936, shortly after taking off from the Croydon Air Port on a scheduled flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands...
on 9 December 1936, when the Douglas DC-2
Douglas DC-2
The Douglas DC-2 was a 14-seat, twin-engine airliner produced by the American company Douglas Aircraft Corporation starting in 1934. It competed with the Boeing 247...
in which he was travelling crashed into houses near Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
just after taking off in thick fog.