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In 1768, how a king paralyzed the state with a strike

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In 1768, King Adolf Frederik of Sweden stopped collaborating in state affairs to pressure the convocation of parliament. This little-known episode finds the paradoxes of a monarchy during which the sovereign misplaced maximum of his political energy whilst keeping robust symbolic authority.

In 1768, close to the tip of the length in Swedish historical past referred to as the Frihetstiden (“Age of Freedom”), King Adolf Frederik of Sweden threatened to abdicate until a distinct consultation of the Riksdag, the Swedish parliament, used to be referred to as instantly. The primary factor used to be a brand new monetary plan, however the king additionally was hoping that this parliamentary consultation would result in constitutional reforms geared toward strengthening his rule.

The Council of the Kingdom, composed of 16 participants and presided over through the king, had 3 days to convene the Riksdag. In the meantime, the sovereign refused to participate in any resolution. In different phrases, he went on strike.

As I display in my fresh ebook, Monarchy within the Age of Freedom: Royal Energy and Public Existence in Eighteenth-Century Sweden, this episode in Swedish political historical past raises an enchanting query: Does a monarchy essentially want a monarch?

At the moment, the rustic used to be a kingdom, however its political functioning in apply used to be very similar to that of a republic. Right through the occasions that adopted the king’s ultimatum, his…

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Author : bq3anews

Publish date : 2026-06-19 17:29:00

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