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354 A History of Sweden
The time came when all Sweden had its eyes open
to the horrible ravages of brandy among the people,
and there was a general desire for legislation against
the evil At the Riksdag of 1854 measures were adopt-
ed which put an end to private distilling. Henceforth
only large and heavily taxed distilleries were permit-
ted. As alcoholic liquors became dearer and harder to
get, drinking was greatly diminished. At the same
time the number of crimes diminished. Prosperity and
refinement followed. The Swedish people were saved
from a humiliating death through alcoholic poisoning.
The temperance work is still going on, but now
more stress is laid on education and moral suasion. To
get drunk is now regarded as a shame. Efforts are
also made through lectures, study courses, and ele-
vating amusements to keep people away from the
saloon. Large temperance societies have been organ-
ized throughout the kingdom, numbering half a million
members.
The Labor Question. The labor problems in Sweden
have been the same as those in other industrial lands.
There have been labor organizations, strikes, and lock-
outs* ;
but the misery amoung laborers has not been as
great as in many of the larger industrial lands. Social-
industrial organization has been carried to a greater
extent than in the United States. But communism,
bolshevism, and violence have been on the whole suc-
cessfully opposed.
Much has been done in the interest of labor through
legislation. A normal working day has been estab-
*To the credit of the Swedish laborers it should be said that in all their
labor agitations they never resorted to violence.
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