T able 6 . Mortality in Sweden.
Year
Death-rate per
1000 of the
mean population
Death-rate in
the first year
of life per 1000
births of living
children during
th e year
Year
Death-rate per
1000 of the
mean population
Death-rate in
th e first year
of life per 1000
births of living
children during
the year
1861 18*47 137-3 1886 16-61 1 111-2
1862 21*40 139-3 1887 16-13 103-1
1863 19*33 132-6 . 1888 15-99 100-3
1864 20-25 136-7 1889 15-99 107-2
1865 19-36 135-1 1890 17:12 . 103-1
1866 19-98 126-9
1867 19-64 140-1 1891 ' 16-81 107-9
1868 2098 168-3 1892 17-88 109-2
1869 22-27 145-8 1893 16-83 101-2
1870 19-80 131-9 1894 16-38 100-9
1895 15-19 94-7
1871 17-21 113-7 1896 15-64 103-3 ~
1872 16 28 128-3 1897 15-35 98-6
1873 17-20 128-8 1898 1508 90-8
1874 2032 146-7 1899 17-65 111-7
1875 2027 1490 1900 16-84 98-5
1876 19-59 140-2
1877 18'66 125-6 1901 16-05 102-9
1878 18-06 134-2 1902 1537 86-4
1879 16-94 111-2 1903 15-09 92-8
1880 18-10 120-7 1904 15-29 84-4
19Ò5 15 62 88-3
1881 17-68 112-7 1906 14-37 81-0
1882 1735 124-6 1907 14-59 76-8 .
1883 17-31 115-7 1908 14-91 '85-4
1884 1753 113-2 1909 13"67 72-2 -
1885 17-76 114-3 1910 14-04 75-1
such as temperature, temporary outbreaks of epidemic diseases among the
people, that determine the rate of infant mortality. This proves that the
masses have reached a point above the “bare minimum required for
existence”, when every temporary deterioration of the economical situation
makes itself felt in an increase of infant mortality. The Danes and the
Norwegians appear to be the only nations that can exhibit a ease like
this. The great civilized countries surpass Sweden in national riches, but
not in national prosperity. Nowhere has infant mortality, accordingly,
descended as low as among the Scandinavian peoples. The economic
development of the past generation has in Sweden been attended by an
improvement in the condition not only of the rich, but also of the common
people: this is the gladdening result which these figures point to.
The scattered indications given above of the progress made by the Swedish
people during the past generation are fully endorsed by the assessments
of the wealth of the nation that have been made from time to time, and to
which we shall now pass over.
The National Wealth.
The aggregate possessions of a country or people, in other words, the
national wealth, is the sum of the material property and foreign claims
in the possession of the nation and of the individuals who compose it, and
constituting the means of subsistence of both.
A calculation of a nation’s revenue and wealth is one of the most difficult
tasks that statistics can have. to deal with. And indeed it is impossible at the
present moment to supply a perfectly exact investigation of this nature. But
even an approximate estimate is of the greatest interest. It furnishes, so to
speak, a balance-sheet and inventory of a nation’s assets and property in general,
or> to employ another metaphor, a snap-shot of them. And even if the individual
features are not quite distinct, yet nothing can present such a concise
general view o f . the economic status of a nation as an estimate of its total
assets, in movable and real property, in natural products and the yield of work.
The best method of computing the wealth of a nation is to specify as
accurately as possible the different items of which it is composed, and then to
endeavour < to ascertain the value of each separate item, basing the estimate on
the prices which prevail in purchase and sale, ; or, where that is not feasible, to
take the net yield, the cost of production, or insurance values.
This is the so-called “objective method”, a more detailed account of which
will be found in the following’ works:- P. Fahlbeck, Sveriges naiionalformogenhet,
Stockholm 1890, and Sveriges nationalformogenhet omkring dr 1908 och dess
utveckling sedan mitten av 1880-talet, Finansstatistiska utredningar utg. av
Kungl. Finansdepartementet, V . Stockholm 1912, , the latter by A Flodstrdm.
Assessments of the national wealth of Sweden on this basis have been made
at three different dates, viz. in 1885, 1898, and 1908. In order to obtain complete
commensurability between these three calculations, it has been necessary
in some cases, in making the later assessments to rectify the earlier. Thus
the value of landed property and of the crown lands included under that head,
which in 1885 had been put at 2 144 million kronor was in 1898 raised to
3 093 million kronor; similary stores, machines, and personal movable property
were raised from 1 130 to 1 380 million kronor. Again in the total estimate for
the year 1908 the figures for the live and dead stock of agriculture in the
assessment of the year 1898, which in this case was merely a rough calculation,
were raised from 441 and 139 million kronor to 500 and 180 million kronor
respectively, and in conformity therewith stores, machines, and personal movable
property were lowered from 2 324 to 2 272 million kronor. On the other hand,
in the assessment ot the year 1908 certain adjustments have been made as
regards fisheries and fishing-waters, as well as means of communication, specie,
and foreign claims, in order to obtain complete uniformity with previous assessments.
With respect to these rectifications, and to the method of calculation
as a whole for each separate item, the reader may be referred to the above-
named works, and to pp. 454 foil, of the first edition of this work.
Putting together these three estimates, and noting that objects of art,
war material, the vessels of the royal navy, and fortifications are entirely
excluded, we obtain the values in Table 7.
The advance in national wealth to which these figures point is a very
considerable one, both in proportion to the population, the quota per head,
and in each separate item. A remarkable point is the great difference in
percentage of annual increase during the two periods 1885— 1898 and
1898 1908. In the mitin the great increase during the later period is
doubtless quite genuine, particularly with regard to “ other real property”
(house-building in the cities), stores and machines etc., as well as mines.
During this decade Swedish industry, and mechanical industry in parti