SWEDEN AND NORWAY. The Scandinavian dual monarchy really comprises two distinct nations with one King and a common administration for war and diplomacy. Each has therefore its dis tinct national polities. The parties in Sweden are the aristocratic Conservative l'arty, forming the Parliamentary Right, and having its strength in the cities; and the rural Democratic Party, the Parliamentary Left, known as the Rustics. In recent years an nrban Democratic Party of de cidedly radical tendencies has arisen. The So cialists. organized as a party in 1,889. joined the Democrats and a demand va.s made for universal suffrage. Norway is the most democratic country of Europe socially and, except Switzerland. in its political constitution. For many year. the Dem ocratic majority in the Storthing was in conflict with the King and his Ministers, chiefly over the budget. In 1872 an attempt was made to secure a responsible Ministry from the Parliamentary majority. In 1884 the King yielded and at first
attempted to form a Conservative Ministry, but was obliged to call upon the Left. In 1886 the Left split into the Old Left and the New (Liber al) Left. The conflict that ensued brought out three parties—Conservative, Ministerial, and Rad ical, the second being due to the attempt of the Prime Alinister. Sverdrup, to hold his position in spite of party defeat. A Conservative Ministry was formed in 1889. At the same time a nation alist agitation began and grew- to large propor tions. The Conservatives were defeated in 1891 on a hill to regulate the relations between Swe den and Norway. The Radical became a national ist party. This agitation in Norway, threaten ing the union, developed a counter-movement in Sweden. so that practically a ...orweg,ian and a Swedish party have arisen in the combined mon archy.