Europe, until the use of coal for the manufacture of pig-iron revolutionized
that industry. The lack of fossil fuel has in fact since that timé proved
the chief obstacle to the development of such an industry on a scale
corresponding to the natural resources. This lack is also the reason why
at present mining in Lappland merely concerns itself with the raw product.
The mining of ore, which is moreover carried on from the ore
fields of Central Sweden, has thus become one of the biggest export industries
of the country. The recent development of iron works, foundries,
machine shops, and so forth, shows, however, that the way is being gradually
prepared for a manufacturing industry of great magnitude.
The lack of coal (there is only a scanty supply in the north-west of
Skáne), in conjunction with difficulties arising from the enormous distances
that have to be traversed, explains why Mechanical Industry
in Sweden has so long remained in a state of insignificance. However,
in the course of the last twenty years or so a distinct change in this regard
has taken place. Numbers of new lines of manufacture have been
struck out, and established lines have increased many times over the
Scope of their activities; the result is that the value of the output has
risen enormously, being computed for the year 1912 at about 1 778 million
kronor (exclusive of forestry, mining, and dairy-farming), while the population
which derives its livelihood from mechanical industry has been
well-nigh trebled since 1870. Industry on a big scale has thus made
its ingresé into Sweden, and is perhaps destined to give her a position
sooner or later among the principal centres of the world’s industry: for,
if Sweden lacks coal, she possesses an abundance of iva te rfa lls . The Swedish
waterfalls, as a rule, are not so easy to equip as the Norwegian; but
the utilization of electric power is gradually gaining territory, and -is
bound sooner or later to embrace in its sweep not merely mechanical industry,
but also mining and the railway. The time is surely not far off when the
“white-coals” will in these domains to a great extent supersede the black.
Here as in other spheres handicraft is being jostled aside in the onward
march of mechanical industry, in order, having accommodated itself t;o the
new conditions, once more to win for itself a secure position alongside of
the latter. Thus, the old domestic sloyd has sprung up into life once more
and, in many districts, now, as before, assumes an important place in tjjie
economy of the country people.
Commerce and Transport come next on the list of important occupations.
Owing to the great extent of coast-line, the numerous harbours,
and the well-developed system of water-ways (big lakes and long canals)
navigation in the interior of the country is very brisk; and in consequence
of the great differences between the products of the various provinces# a
busy interchange of Commodities takes place within the country itself.
By a railway system which in proportion to the population is the biggest
in Europe, the great distances have been bridged over, and the country
has been opened up to the markets of the world. Trade with foreign
countries has also made great advances in the course of the last few
years; however, it doubtless still admits of considerable development.
This may be said with still more truth of Shipping, which a newly-
awakened interest has aroused out of the torpor into which it had sunk,
in consequence of various unfavourable conditions, during the last quarter
of the nineteenth century. Several new direct lines to foreign parts of
the world and the steadily increasing tonnage of steamers testify forcibly
to the reality of this awakening.
Fishing is in Sweden an occupation of minor importance, although,
[ owing to the return of the herring to the Swedish coast, improved methods
| of sea-fishing, and a more scientific pisciculture, it has in recent years
j yielded a continually richer harvest.
Shooting, which was formerly a very important means of subsistance,
I can no longer be reckoned as a special branch of industry. It must be
regarded now, to a great extent, merely as a means of recreation and a
| sport.
Banking finally, which supplies to modern industrial life its motive
i power, capital, has attained a high pitch of development in the form
| of savings-banks, land mortgage-banks, and commercial banks proper.
Both by administering the floating capital of the country, and by advancing
money for productive work, it contributes largely to the promotion
of industry: A richly developed insurance system guards against the
various risks which menace property.
It will be apparent even from this brief survey that the sources of livelihood
in Sweden are extremely rich and varied. It will also be manifest
that Sweden has for- a generation been undergoing a process of transfor-
; mation, the tendency of which is to co n v e rt the m a n u fa c tu re o f th e raw
article in to the m anu fa c ture o f the fin ish e d a rtic le , and to apply indus
tria l m ethods to a ll sph eres o f oc cupation. Sweden is thus undergoing
the same process of development as the great civilized countries have al-
■ ready undergone. In Sweden too this development is attended by a
,'steadily increasing prosperity and a rapidly augmenting national revenue.
We shall endeavour briefly to sketch also this aspect of Sweden’s
; national economy with its most recent developments.
However, before we pass over these calculations, we shall adduce a
jfew data as to the course af development in this domain during the last
: half-century.
Sweden’s Economical Development between the Years 1862 and 1913.
j l^'^le Prevailing feature of Sweden’s national economy during the last
jhalf-century is a vigorous development. This development has gone on
[in spite of the fluctuations between bad and goo d times which have
occurred during that period, and which now recur with great regularity.
| In former days bad harvests and wars were the chief causes. Nowadays
it is the rythm of economical life itself that causes the bad times
1 ^ 133179. Sweden. 11.