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NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. MORAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS. 153
with those of times past, nor yet with those among other nations — are so
disadvantageous as at times declared, of that statistics bear witness beyond contest.
Speaking generally, our long wars have left in the temperament of our people a
certain residue of violence, which is not to be found in the same degree with
our neighbours — amongst them again the frequency of many other kinds of
crimes is greater than in Sweden.
From Table 28 it will be seen that the frequency of serious crimes is beyond
comparison greatest in the ages 20/30 and next come the ages 15/20 and
30/40. The complaint heard in our days from nearly all nations about an
increasing frequency of crimes among minors has made itself heard in our country
too, and a minute investigation has shown that a deterioration really has taken
place in the first years of youth (15/20), whereas the school ages, properly
spoken, rather show an improvement.
Of those condemned for serious crimes during the period 1881/90, 76% of
the men, and 77 % of the women, were unmarried. Of the whole nnmber, 1’34 %
were analphabetists, while no less than 23-3 % were unable to write, a number
which is many times greater than that for the population in general. There
were 1’6 % in very good financial position; 21’6 in good financial position; 46-7 %
in narrow circumstances, and 30’i % were destitute of means. 8’65 % had been
born out of wedlock, a figure which indicates a higher frequency of criminality
in that group than amongst the rest of the population.
During the years 1891/95, the frequency of certain kinds of serious crimes
— expressed in the annual numbers of condemned per million of the population
— was as follows: offence against public authority 30-4 (increasing), forgery 25-s,
perjury 4’59, murder and attempt to murder l-74, assassination and homicide
7-20, infanticide, feticide, and the like 13*20, assault and battery 57-8 (increasing),
rape 2*03, outrage 6"66 (increasing), incendiary fire 5-38. theft 252, robbery
2-44, fraud and treachery 17’2 (increasing), other kinds of crimes 16-4; thus
altogether 442, or — after subtraction of those guilty of more than one crime
— about 415. Of some among these crimes Table 28 offers a survey, also for
times past, which is of considerable interest in many respects.
The frequency of serious crimes in the different parts of the country, during
the years 1881/90 is shown by the map on page 152. The minima are to be
found in the same provinces where the frequency of illegitimate children is
lowest, and where also the death-rate is at a minimum.
As serious crimes, we have above reckoned such offences as cannot be
expiated by a fine. A total of 185 per hundred thousand inh. were condemned,
yearly, during 1891/95, for lesser offences, and 602 for misdemeanours. The
greatest number of the offences last named were cases of drunkenness.
Customs and manner of living.
We may here give a brief notice — which, very naturally, does not
in any degree pretend to be an exhaustive one — of the dress, food,
ways of living on feast-days and week-days, and manners and
observances amongst our people in general, and in its various classes.
The dress of our nation is, as with all modern, civilized peoples, in
accordance with general European fashions, which nowadays very quickly reach even
the remotest districts. Only in certain parte of Dalarne and of Lappland are
the old national costumes still in general use; in other outlying districts they
have disappeared during the last two generations. Some of these becoming
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