AN ANCIENT DEMOCRACY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 129, 3 June 1935, Page 6

AN ANCIENT DEMOCRACY.

SWEDEN'S 500 YEARS. (By DONALD COWIE.) According to a recent cable message, the five-hundredth anniversary of the Swedish Riksdag, or Parliament, is at present being celebrated, and Mr. Ramsay MaeDonald has sent a telegram to the Swedish Prime Minister congratulating the ancient institution on its "valuable service to the cause of constitutional liberty." Mr. Mac Donald's words were happily chosen, for Swedish democracy, although few people are aware of the fact, is as deep-rooted as it is long-livdd. With the exception of England, no other country has enjoyed such a lengthy lease of representative government; and it might be hazarded that Sweden actually holds the record for democracy, the Parliament of England stillering temporary eclipse many times after its establishment. The hero of the celebrations at Stockholm this year will undoubtedly be Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, variously acclaimed as "The Protector" and "the Swedish Simon de Montfort," who, in January, 1435, summoned the representatives of the burgdsses and peasants to the first Swedish national assembly. The careers of Engelbrekt and do Montfort are very siinilar. In 1412 Eric, King of Poinerania, became monarch of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and proceeded to rule his new subjects so harshly that everywhere they rose against him. Engelbrekt, a small landowner, led the revolt in Sweden, and was successful in defeating the Royal forces at every turn. In 1434 he could hafle crowned himself king if he had AVished, but, a farman for his age, preferred to go down in history as the pioneer of Swedish democracy. The strength of his movement lay in tlie small burgesses and peasants, and he consolidated this power by giving the people parliamentary representation. That Engelbrekt was murdered a year after his achievement was a stain upon its glory, but no hindrance to its growth. The Riksdag became a permanent institution, and, rising and falling upon successive waves of enthusiasm and indifference, was established the permanent guarantee of Swedish liberty. It is surprising, indeed, that the constitution of the Riksdag, a particularly ingenious and democratic one, has not found more imitators. There are two Chambers. The Upper Chamber consists of approximately 150 representatives elected by landowners and municipal councils; another 230 representatives, elected on a universal franchise, form the Second Chamber. Before a bill may become law it must be passed by both Chambers; when the Chambers disagree on a money bill, however, the matter is settled by joint voting. A Council of State of twelve, responsible to both Chambers, forms the executive.

In these days of political upheaval, when representative government has been temporarily discredited in many countries, it is a pleasure to congratulate Sweden upon her £00 years of successful democracy.