476 remained relatively constant. The increases in the lists of fines during the 18th century were caused partly by the Church offensive against illegitimate births and for better behaviour at High Mass, Communion services and parish catechetical meetings. The State’s increased demands can also be observed. In rural areas the latter was expressed by intervention against those who did not participate in tax collection and obligatory duties, against the illicit distillation of alcohol and against those who had breached the ordinances regulating the use of the forests. In the towns It was mainly a question of the illicit distribution of alcohol. A slight weakening trend can be noted during the beginning of the 19th century regarding the State’s direct taxation, but even the control over alcohol and forests lessened in extent. At this point church discipline and the institution of legal proceedings against fornication had become less usual elements in the secular world of the courts. Disturbances of the peace on the Sabbath were nowpunished mostly in connection with other crimes. In the towns, above all, local statutes multiplied in order to keep order and improve the supervision of fire and hygiene. In some areas of the courts’ agenda justice had, to a lesser degree, come to concern itself with inter-personal subjects and, to a greater extent, with repressive measures initiated by the State, the Church and later, by the town magistrates. This does not, however, mean that the settling of personal disputes had completely disappeared. “TheJudicial Revolution” “The Judicial Revolution” has become an accepted concept used to describe a development which took place in Western Europe during the pre-industrial period. Behind this concept is hidden the change — over from a locally-dominated to a State-dominated system of justice, followed by increased influence for experts at the expense of laymen. Such a development took place in Sweden too. Most cases at the beginning of the 17th century were decided without the intervention of representatives of the State. In rural areas the lay juries had strengthened their influence during the previous centuries. The most established farmers in the area were often elected to the bench year after year and in this manner acquired great experience of the cases which were dealt with. Instead of ordinary judges, relatively unschooled law readers deputised as chairmen, persons who were not far, from a social point of view, from the farmers. In towns the situation was similar. The town court judges were often laymen, recruited from merchants and craftsmen. This class still had, at least in smaller towns, great influence over the appointment of the mayor, the chairman of the magistrates. Most cases heard were concerned with everyday occurrences In which the central powers did not have any reason to intervene. They concerned civil dis-
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