Swedish and German Liberalism: From Factions to Parties 1860-1920

An in-depth analysis of political organization and democratization during the crucial 1860–1920 period in Sweden and Germany, this book centers on the formation of liberalism. It argues that despite ideology’s individualistic traits—which made liberals less susceptible to political organization on a mass basis—its followers chose to compromise between individual and collective action. Revealing how Swedish liberalism made way for peaceful democratization and collective modes of societal organization while German liberalism turned conservative and prepared for Nazism and extremist nationalism, this record explores the mobilization, formation, and subsequent development of liberalism in these regions.