En Helig Allmännelig Opinion

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En Helig Allmännelig Opinion En helig allmännelig opinion Abstract Jonas Harvard, En helig allmännelig opinion: Föreställningar om offentlighet och legitimitet i svensk riksdagsdebatt 1848–1919 [The holy public opinion: Concepts of public discourse and legi- timacy in the Swedish parliamentary debate 1848–1919] Umeå 006, 356 pp. isbn: 9-764-0-9, issn: 65-0046 Swedish text with a summary in English. Department of Historical Studies, Umeå University, S-90 87 Umeå This thesis analyses how ‘public opinion’ was conceptualised by Members of the Swedish Parliament (MPs) between 848 and 99. The source material consists of the printed minutes from a large number of parliamentary debates where issues such as religious free- dom, constitutional reform and reform of the Press were discussed. In the late 8th and early 9th century, a free Press and a fair public debate were seen as prerequisites for an enlightened public opinion. This public opinion would have a legiti- mate influence on affairs of State. This study analyses what happened to this ideal in the subsequent period, when the development of a large-scale industrial economy changed the nature of the Press, and interest organisations emerged that voiced the opinions of their members. The study is divided into two chronological periods, 848–873 and 897– 99. Two main aspects of public opinion are analysed. Firstly, the question of what MPs considered the most reliable source of public opinion is examined. An intense debate took place on the legitimacy of manifestations claiming to represent public opinion, such as written petitions, the Press, Parliament itself, quantitative estimations and also the silent opinion. During the second chronological period, the voices of women were also included by some MPs when assessing public opinion. The second main aspect is how MPs envisioned the relationship between the reliability of public opinion and the conditions for public discourse. Here an important distinction was made throughout the period analysed, between public opinion formed in a free and unhindered debate and that brought about by persuasion. MPs also discussed the legiti- mate influence of extra-parliamentary public opinion on parliamentary decisions. The study shows that public opinion was a contested concept in the Swedish Parlia- ment throughout the period analysed. In the 850s, Conservatives gave the religiously conservative nature of public opinion as a reason to postpone the reform of religious laws. In debating constitutional reform, on the other hand, it was the Liberals who argued that decisions should follow public opinion, which was liberal on this issue. In the 90s, the Left was divided over the relationship between public opinion and the State, with some arguing that the State should intervene in the public debate to offset the negative influ- ence of market mechanisms. Others felt that public opinion rather than legislation should set the limits of the public discourse, especially in the case of religion, but also concerning the Press. The industrialisation of the Press made it increasingly difficult to defend the notion that public opinion was the product of a current rational, enlightened public debate. Despite the difficulty in determining its physical referent, public opinion was referred to through- out the period as something unitary and unified:the public opinion. This, I maintain, was a major reason for the many struggles over the proper meaning of the concept. Keywords: Swedish modern history, concepts of public opinion, [allmänna opinionen], conceptual history, legitimacy, transformation of the public sphere, parliamentary debates, religious reform, constitutional reform, Press reform, Jürgen Habermas En helig allmännelig opinion Föreställningar om offentlighet och legitimitet i svensk riksdagsdebatt 1848–1919 Jonas Harvard Skrifter från Institutionen för historiska studier 3 Umeå universitet 3 Institutionen för historiska studier Umeå universitet SE 90 87 Umeå Tel 090-786 50 00 Fax 090-786 76 67 © Jonas Harvard och Institutionen för historiska studier, Umeå universitet, 006. Tryck: CM Gruppen, Stockholm. issn: 65-0046. isbn: 9-764-0-9 4 Innehåll Den allmänna opinionen och maktens metafysik ������������������������������9 Tidigare forskning ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Syfte ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8 Riksdagstrycket som källa ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Begreppshistoria som metod �������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 Periodisering ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3 Disposition ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 3 Kampen om att definiera ett begrepp ������������������������������������������������33 Den allmänna opinionen och statens legitimitet ����������������������������������� 33 Legitimitetsskiftet: offentlig granskning blir norm ������������������������������� 37 Legitimitetskris: offentlighetens strukturomvandling ��������������������������� 44 Sammanfattning ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56 I den borgerliga offentlighetens tid: 848–873................................57 Från folkviljans år till religionsfrihetens införande ������������������������������59 Den allmänna opinionens språkdräkt ����������������������������������������������������� 64 Per Reinhold Tersmeden och opinionens stilistik ��������������������������������� 7 Opinionens arenor ����������������������������������������������������������������������������73 Att avgöra opinionens innehåll ���������������������������������������������������������������� 73 Nationen som mytisk gemenskap ����������������������������������������������������������� 77 Kvantitativa grunder ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 85 Press och petitioner ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 97 Riksdagen ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Sammanfattning �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 Allmän opinion och offentlig debatt ��������������������������������������������������127 Övertalning förvränger opinionen ��������������������������������������������������������� 7 Den jämlika debatten som ideal ������������������������������������������������������������ 38 Inflytandet på riksdagspolitiken ������������������������������������������������������������ 46 Opinionen och religionen ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 53 Staten som publicist: inrättandet av en regeringstidning 866 ����������� 7 Sammanfattning �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 78 5 Under offentlighetens strukturomvandling: 897–99 ����������������79 Klasskamp och nationalism ���������������������������������������������������������������181 Den allmänna opinionens språkdräkt ��������������������������������������������������� 8 Hjalmar Branting och formuleringsprivilegiet �������������������������������������� 84 Opinionens arenor �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 187 Att avgöra opinionens innehåll �������������������������������������������������������������� 87 Nationen som mytisk gemenskap ��������������������������������������������������������� 95 Kvantitativa grunder ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Demonstrationer, petitioner och press �������������������������������������������������� 3 Riksdagen ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 47 Opinionen och kvinnan �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 Sammanfattning �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 Allmän opinion och offentlig debatt ������������������������������������������������� 273 Övertalning förvränger opinionen ��������������������������������������������������������� 73 Den goda debatten som ideal ���������������������������������������������������������������� 76 Inflytandet på riksdagspolitiken ������������������������������������������������������������ 80 Opinionen och religionsfrågan ��������������������������������������������������������������� 93 Opinionen och pressens självreglering �������������������������������������������������� 30 Staten som publicist: 95 års motioner om en statstidning ��������������� 306 Sammanfattning �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34 En helig allmännelig opinion �����������������������������������������������������������35 Den allmänna opinionen och svensk riksdagsdebatt 848–99 �������� 36 Habermas, Schmitt och den svenska offentligheten ���������������������������� 35 Summary �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������335 Källor och litteratur ���������������������������������������������������������������������������345 6 Tack Då detta är min doktorsavhandling vill jag passa på att tacka några av dem som under åren gjort vägen lättare att vandra. Först, naturligtvis, min oum- bärlige huvudhandledare genom alla år, Svenbjörn Kilander, med vilken jag
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