ABSTRACT
In January 1867, the new Swedish Parliament, the bicameral Riksdag, was opened. Its upper chamber, based on graduated voting rights, played a decisive role in the process of modernisation for several decades. Liberals and conservatives used the state as an instrument, contrary to the principles of laissez-faire. The upper chamber, with its positive attitude towards allotments and government intervention, acted in a more progressive way than the lower chamber, while also strongly defending its privileged political position. Its more dynamic role in the field of economics was lost in the 1880s when a modern party system was introduced, and increased parliamentarism and universal suffrage were demanded. In the decisive year of 1918, conservatives in the upper chamber were subjected to strong pressure to yield to democratic reform. The attitudes of business leaders, the archbishop and members of the royal family were specially important in this respect. The fear of a more radical development, like in Russia and Germany, and the need for stability forced them to support reform. After the democratic breakthrough, the Swedish Senate, lacking a real function, increasingly lost its legitimacy, before it was disbanded after its last session on 16 December 1970.
