Voting and Eligibility Age in Sweden, 1866-1921: Democracy with Guarantees
This open access book explores the background to the electoral reforms of 1907-1921 in Sweden, when the voting age was raised from 21 years to 23 for the second chamber and the municipalities, and to 27 for the county councils and the first chamber. This increase in voting ages was unique in an international context. Previous research and contemporary conservative and liberal rhetoric argued that the increase in the voting age was socially and politically neutral. This book questions that view. The liberal and conservative parties launched universal suffrage reforms and raised the voting age to exclude the young, unestablished and unmarried parts of the population. The ambition was to limit the increasing political influence of the cities and the working class. A higher voting and eligibility age would limit the negative effects of universal suffrage. The changes were also an effect of the tension between town and country and the consequence of a long-term demographic transformation with profound effects on the social and pollical structure of the nation.

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Voting and Eligibility Age in Sweden, 1866-1921: Democracy with Guarantees
This open access book explores the background to the electoral reforms of 1907-1921 in Sweden, when the voting age was raised from 21 years to 23 for the second chamber and the municipalities, and to 27 for the county councils and the first chamber. This increase in voting ages was unique in an international context. Previous research and contemporary conservative and liberal rhetoric argued that the increase in the voting age was socially and politically neutral. This book questions that view. The liberal and conservative parties launched universal suffrage reforms and raised the voting age to exclude the young, unestablished and unmarried parts of the population. The ambition was to limit the increasing political influence of the cities and the working class. A higher voting and eligibility age would limit the negative effects of universal suffrage. The changes were also an effect of the tension between town and country and the consequence of a long-term demographic transformation with profound effects on the social and pollical structure of the nation.

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Voting and Eligibility Age in Sweden, 1866-1921: Democracy with Guarantees

Voting and Eligibility Age in Sweden, 1866-1921: Democracy with Guarantees

by Bengt Sandin
Voting and Eligibility Age in Sweden, 1866-1921: Democracy with Guarantees

Voting and Eligibility Age in Sweden, 1866-1921: Democracy with Guarantees

by Bengt Sandin

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$59.99 
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Overview

This open access book explores the background to the electoral reforms of 1907-1921 in Sweden, when the voting age was raised from 21 years to 23 for the second chamber and the municipalities, and to 27 for the county councils and the first chamber. This increase in voting ages was unique in an international context. Previous research and contemporary conservative and liberal rhetoric argued that the increase in the voting age was socially and politically neutral. This book questions that view. The liberal and conservative parties launched universal suffrage reforms and raised the voting age to exclude the young, unestablished and unmarried parts of the population. The ambition was to limit the increasing political influence of the cities and the working class. A higher voting and eligibility age would limit the negative effects of universal suffrage. The changes were also an effect of the tension between town and country and the consequence of a long-term demographic transformation with profound effects on the social and pollical structure of the nation.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9783031952753
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
Publication date: 12/26/2025
Pages: 307
Product dimensions: 5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Bengt Sandin is Professor Emeritus at the Department of Child Studies at the University of Linköping, Sweden.

Table of Contents

Preface.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Voting and eligibility restrictions, 1840–1900.- 3. Who on earth can be trusted?.- 4. Age limits in the political game, 1910–1917.- 5. Voting rights with guarantees: Political negotiations in 1918.- 6. Did we do the right thing?- 7. The same for everyone? Demographics in politics.- 8. Political age limits.

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