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Instrument of Government (1809)

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The Liberals won a decisive victory in 1917, and although Gustaf nevertheless tried to appoint another conservative ministry, it could not garner enough support in the Riksdag. It was now obvious that the king could no longer pick a government entirely of his choosing, nor could he keep an unpopular
404:) remained unchanged, it was understood that he was to exercise his powers through the ministers and act on their advice. As a result, the ministers did most of the actual work of governing, making Sweden a de facto parliamentary monarchy. 348:, in which members of the "First Chamber" elected indirectly by the county councils and the municipal assemblies in the larger towns and cities, and members of the "Second Chamber" directly elected by male property owners. 396:" definitively established that ministers were both politically and legally responsible to the Riksdag rather than the crown, and from then on, while ministers were still formally appointed by the king, 389:
ministry in office against the will of the Riksdag. Gustaf yielded and appointed a liberal-social democratic coalition that effectively arrogated most of the crown's political powers to itself.
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Although the Instrument of Government remained in force to the end of 1974, a large number of important reforms were made in the meantime which transformed the structures of Swedish government.
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As the Riksdag's authority grew, it became increasingly difficult for a government to stay in office solely with the Crown's support. This tension grew especially bad after 1907, when a
246:. In order to prevent future succession crises, the rights of Bernadotte's descendants to accede to the Swedish throne were codified in an amendment to the Instrument of Government, the 293:
Originally, ministers were politically responsible solely to the king, who appointed and dismissed them. However, they were legally responsible to the Riksdag and a special court (
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Initially the Instrument only curtailed the powers of the king, who retained a significant role in politics, but over time the crown's powers were reduced still further
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As Charles XIII was childless, it was vital to find an heir in order to guarantee a smooth succession upon his death. The Riksdag initially elected a Danish prince and
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required him to ensure they had the support of a majority in the Riksdag. Although the 1809 Instrument's statement that "the King alone shall govern the realm" (
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publicly criticising the government, which resigned in protest, whereupon the king appointed a conservative government of civil servants responsible to him.
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against the unpopular king. Gustav Adolf was arrested, forced to abdicate and then sent into exile, and his uncle Duke Charles was acclaimed as
397: 99: 165:, succeeded him but proved a less charismatic ruler, and his political authority was fatally undermined by Swedish defeat in the 228: 610: 589: 356: 493: 270:, constitutional law in articles 81-86), while the Riksdag had sole power over the budget and state incomes and expenses ( 669: 110: 682: 603: 721: 652: 647: 642: 637: 452: 413: 283: 209: 158: 126: 726: 298: 275: 271: 267: 71:
was deposed. The promulgation of the constitution marks the point at which Sweden transitioned from the
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of Gustav III, the new document did allow the king to take a more active role in politics than the
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The Instrument of Government established a separation of powers between the executive branch (the
113:, which formally enshrined democracy and the will and equality of the people, exercised through a 731: 711: 374: 84: 657: 626: 527: 442: 279: 263: 217: 201: 182: 154: 134: 52: 45: 239: 232: 555: 716: 236: 231:, but he died soon afterwards. In 1810 they therefore held a second election and chose the 150: 518:
Lewin, Leif (1 May 2007). "Majoritarian and Consensus Democracy: the Swedish Experience".
8: 297:) according to a special statute and to law in general if they committed legal offences ( 541: 476: 437: 378: 259: 142: 80: 49: 432: 205: 114: 72: 60: 537: 420: 393: 382: 368: 329: 325: 37: 333: 313: 170: 162: 92: 287: 212:
by a new constitution. The new constitution was drawn up by a committee led by
178: 138: 705: 243: 76: 416:, which stripped the king of even nominal political power and made Sweden a 213: 25: 351:
A further important change came in 1876 with the creation of the office of
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was chosen that enjoyed the confidence of the Riksdag but was disliked by
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Under the Instrument, the Riksdag of the Estates initially retained the
189: 471: 21: 355:, reflecting practice in other parliamentary democracies such as the 337: 146: 103: 188:
This military catastrophe provided an opportunity for disaffected
345: 174: 266:). The King and Riksdag possessed joint power over legislation ( 216:, and was officially adopted by the Riksdag on 6 June, Sweden's 278:). While the king's power was somewhat reduced compared to the 242:, who was adopted by Charles XIII and officially recognised as 63:
from 1809 to the end of 1974. It came about as a result of the
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On 1 January 1975, the 1809 Instrument was replaced by a new
592:(Swedish historical documents) - at Wikisource (in Swedish) 109:
The 1809 Instrument was finally replaced altogether by the
28:, the principal author of the Instrument of Government. 16:
One of the Four Basic Laws of the Swedish constitution
407: 584:Regeringsform 1809 (Instrument of Government 1809) 208:, and to accept the replacement of the absolutist 703: 611: 340:. However, in 1866 it was replaced by a new 625: 618: 604: 320:, comprising representatives of the four " 531: 687:Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression 20: 704: 381:. In 1914 the king made the so-called 137:, a period traditionally known as the 599: 517: 362: 286:which had been in force during the 13: 542:10.1111/j.1467-9477.1998.tb00012.x 408:Replacement by the 1974 Instrument 262:) and the legislative branch (the 14: 753: 577: 324:" of Swedish society, namely the 44:), adopted on 6 June 1809 by the 304: 111:Instrument of Government of 1974 102:as Sweden developed into a full 453:Instrument of Government (1974) 414:Instrument of Government (1974) 344:(two-chamber) legislature, the 210:Instrument of Government (1772) 153:, who subsequently ruled as an 141:. This came to an end with the 129:, Sweden had a half-century of 127:Instrument of Government (1719) 548: 520:Scandinavian Political Studies 511: 486: 465: 274:) including military burdens ( 253: 173:, which led to the cession of 125:After the promulgation of the 1: 458: 284:1720 Instrument of Government 204:. Charles agreed to renounce 159:1772 Instrument of Government 34:1809 Instrument of Government 586:- at Wikisource (in Swedish) 494:"The History of the Riksdag" 192:, backed by elements of the 7: 426: 10: 758: 366: 316:form it had had since the 120: 678: 633: 683:Freedom of the Press Act 448:King in Council (Sweden) 353:Prime Minister of Sweden 299:articles 106 and 101-102 240:Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte 131:parliamentary government 83:in 1772) into a stable, 627:Constitutions of Sweden 85:constitutional monarchy 722:Constitution of Sweden 658:Union and Security Act 443:Constitution of Sweden 280:enlightened absolutism 264:Riksdag of the Estates 183:Treaty of Fredrikshamn 169:, part of the broader 135:Riksdag of the Estates 46:Riksdag of the Estates 42:1809 års regeringsform 41: 29: 727:Defunct constitutions 225:Stadtholder of Norway 115:unicameral parliament 24: 556:"Documents and Laws" 237:Prince of Pontecorvo 161:. Gustav III's son, 69:King Gustav IV Adolf 590:Historiska dokument 477:Nordisk Familjebok 438:Politics of Sweden 375:liberal government 155:enlightened despot 143:Revolution of 1772 79:(established by a 30: 699: 698: 691:Act of Succession 433:History of Sweden 248:Act of Succession 206:absolute monarchy 202:King Charles XIII 73:absolute monarchy 61:Kingdom of Sweden 749: 742:June 1809 events 737:1809 in politics 620: 613: 606: 597: 596: 571: 570: 568: 566: 560:Sveriges Riksdag 552: 546: 545: 535: 515: 509: 508: 506: 504: 498:Sveriges Riksdag 490: 484: 483: 469: 421:crowned republic 394:Courtyard Crisis 383:Courtyard Speech 369:Courtyard Crisis 363:Courtyard Crisis 91:and significant 87:adhering to the 757: 756: 752: 751: 750: 748: 747: 746: 702: 701: 700: 695: 674: 629: 624: 580: 575: 574: 564: 562: 554: 553: 549: 533:10.1.1.734.6025 516: 512: 502: 500: 492: 491: 487: 481: 480:(1915), p.1208 472:Regeringsformen 470: 466: 461: 429: 410: 371: 365: 307: 256: 171:Napoleonic Wars 163:Gustav IV Adolf 149:perpetrated by 123: 93:civil liberties 17: 12: 11: 5: 755: 745: 744: 739: 734: 732:1809 in Sweden 729: 724: 719: 714: 712:1809 documents 697: 696: 694: 693: 688: 685: 679: 676: 675: 673: 672: 670:Current (1974) 667: 662: 661: 660: 650: 645: 640: 634: 631: 630: 623: 622: 615: 608: 600: 594: 593: 587: 579: 578:External links 576: 573: 572: 547: 526:(3): 195–206. 510: 485: 463: 462: 460: 457: 456: 455: 450: 445: 440: 435: 428: 425: 409: 406: 367:Main article: 364: 361: 357:United Kingdom 346:modern Riksdag 306: 303: 288:Age of Liberty 272:articles 57-77 255: 252: 233:French Marshal 229:Charles August 139:Age of Liberty 122: 119: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 754: 743: 740: 738: 735: 733: 730: 728: 725: 723: 720: 718: 715: 713: 710: 709: 707: 692: 689: 686: 684: 681: 680: 677: 671: 668: 666: 663: 659: 656: 655: 654: 651: 649: 646: 644: 641: 639: 636: 635: 632: 628: 621: 616: 614: 609: 607: 602: 601: 598: 591: 588: 585: 582: 581: 561: 557: 551: 543: 539: 534: 529: 525: 521: 514: 499: 495: 489: 479: 478: 473: 468: 464: 454: 451: 449: 446: 444: 441: 439: 436: 434: 431: 430: 424: 422: 419: 415: 405: 403: 399: 395: 390: 386: 384: 380: 379:King Gustav V 376: 370: 360: 358: 354: 349: 347: 343: 339: 335: 331: 327: 323: 319: 315: 310: 305:Later Reforms 302: 300: 296: 291: 289: 285: 281: 277: 273: 269: 265: 261: 251: 249: 245: 244:heir apparent 241: 238: 234: 230: 226: 221: 219: 215: 211: 207: 203: 199: 196:, to mount a 195: 191: 186: 184: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 160: 156: 152: 148: 144: 140: 136: 132: 128: 118: 116: 112: 107: 105: 101: 100:by convention 96: 94: 90: 86: 82: 81:previous coup 78: 77:Gustavian era 74: 70: 66: 62: 58: 54: 51: 47: 43: 39: 35: 27: 23: 19: 664: 563:. Retrieved 559: 550: 523: 519: 513: 501:. Retrieved 497: 488: 482:(in Swedish) 475: 467: 417: 411: 391: 387: 372: 350: 314:multicameral 311: 308: 292: 257: 222: 218:national day 194:Swedish Army 187: 124: 108: 97: 65:Coup of 1809 57:constitution 53:Charles XIII 33: 31: 18: 717:1809 in law 318:Middle Ages 254:Description 167:Finnish War 89:rule of law 67:, in which 706:Categories 459:References 398:convention 295:Riksrätten 276:article 73 268:article 87 214:Hans Järta 181:under the 157:under the 151:Gustav III 133:under the 55:, was the 26:Hans Järta 528:CiteSeerX 402:article 4 342:bicameral 338:peasantry 147:self-coup 104:democracy 427:See also 418:de facto 334:burghers 326:nobility 250:(1810). 190:liberals 565:4 April 503:4 April 322:estates 175:Finland 121:History 75:of the 59:of the 38:Swedish 530:  392:This " 330:clergy 179:Russia 665:1809 653:1772 648:1720 643:1719 638:1634 567:2022 505:2022 336:and 260:king 235:and 198:coup 145:, a 50:King 48:and 32:The 538:doi 301:). 185:. 177:to 95:. 708:: 558:. 536:. 524:21 522:. 496:. 474:, 423:. 359:. 332:, 328:, 290:. 227:, 220:. 117:. 106:. 40:: 619:e 612:t 605:v 569:. 544:. 540:: 507:. 36:(

Index


Hans Järta
Swedish
Riksdag of the Estates
King
Charles XIII
constitution
Kingdom of Sweden
Coup of 1809
King Gustav IV Adolf
absolute monarchy
Gustavian era
previous coup
constitutional monarchy
rule of law
civil liberties
by convention
democracy
Instrument of Government of 1974
unicameral parliament
Instrument of Government (1719)
parliamentary government
Riksdag of the Estates
Age of Liberty
Revolution of 1772
self-coup
Gustav III
enlightened despot
1772 Instrument of Government
Gustav IV Adolf

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