Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VII. Manufacturing Industries. Introd. by [G. Sundbärg] K. Åmark - 12. Handicrafts and Domestic Industries. [By A. Raphael] - Handicrafts. By C. J. F. Ljunggren
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handicrafts.
485
the sole right of the guild to examine the masterpiece of an applicant
considerably restricted competition.
It is also about this time that voices are heard against the obligatory
membership of guilds, as a remedy against the unreasonable prices of
craftsmen’s goods. Axel Oxenstierna, Sweden’s real regent during the years
1632 — 44, enforced the holding of open markets, in Stockholm and
Kalmar at least. But the promises of Government to amend the guild statutes
remained unfulfilled. The only thing done during the reign of Christina (1644
—54) was the appointment (in 1653) of a commissioner to inquire into the
reform question, to inspect all kinds of manufactured articles, and, in general,
to exercise superintendence over the artisans. The decree was renewed in 1662,
and the activity of the guild commissioner was now placed under the control
of the Board of Trade. A new general statute for the guilds was also issued
in 1669. By it close guilds were expressly forbidden; any one who honestly
and well had learnt his trade was to be admitted as a master. On "masterpieces"
and most other concerns of the guilds, the guild should not decide alone but in
concert with the mayor and the council. No meetings were to be held without
the permission of these authorities, and at each session one of the magistrates,
"the guild magistrate", was to be present. In 1672, the right was granted to
artisans to settle as free-masters at Kungsholmen, close to Stockholm.
The reign of Charles XI (1672 — 97), on the contrary, seems to mark a
reaction as far as the guilds are concerned. During his time, even close guilds
were sometimes allowed, and the prohibitions — after falling into disuse in the
regency during the King’s minority (1660—72) — against the interference of
"protected men", were now re-enforced. As to the country districts, Charles XI
entertained a more liberal opinion, however; to each parish was given the
right of keeping one tailor and one shoemaker; the larger parishes were allowed
to have several. Against a fixed payment to the Crown, these artisans were
also relieved from all taxes hitherto accruing to the towns and from the duty of
applying for burghership in them, and they were also shielded from any action
that might be brought against them by the guilds.
The decline of industry and the high prices of craftsmen’s goods during the
last years of Charles XII (1697—1718), were essentially attributed to the
guilds. One of the first measures of the new political era was, consequently, the
statute of 1719 concerning free-masters. Every one that had learnt a trade
should be allowed to pursue it, after giving notice to the magistracy and being
vested with the rights and privileges of citizenship. The reform, however, was
too radical to be of long duration; the very next year, the right of
free-mastership was, by the new guild ordinance, limited to immigrating
foreigners. In spite of protests from the burghers, the ideas of liberty certainly
made headway again in the statute of 1724 concerning free-mastership for
natives as well as foreigners, but reaction was soon in full sway, and in 1731
it was decreed that no native-born free-masters of such trades as stood under a
guild could be admitted to the towns. In opposition to the explicit direction of
the guild-ordinance, the making of the guilds into close bodies followed in 1734; for
the prevention of poverty and the unauthorized carrying on of the crafts, no larger
number of craftmasters should be admitted than the magistracy and the
respective guilds considered expedient and necessary. In 1739, these retrogressive
efforts were crowned by a prohibition against the free-masterhip of foreigners
too. With this step legislative action concerning handicrafts was for the time
brought to a close; henceforth, it is the regulation of industrialism that attract
our chief attention.
During the year just mentioned (1739), a new hall-statute was issued (to
replace that of 1722), as well as new manufacturers’ privileges. Released from
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