ripe taking into account the balance of power in society. Now, many Liberals held that increased political rights entailed increased civil obligations. Moreover, they rejected the demands of the Social Democrats that political democracy should be complemented with “industrial democracy” since this would hurt the market economy and the right of private ownership.470 In addition, since 1910 other important changes had taken place.The political and social aspects of the “worker issue” had been at least partly regulated by the introduction of universal suffrage, parliamentary government and a nascent national social insurance.The economic part, however,was still an open question from a legal point of view, which meant that the contents of the contract of employment to a great extent were a field for collective self-regulation outside the legal system of the state. During the 1920s, as has been mentioned, Sweden was one of the most conflict afflicted countries in the Western world.The workers claimed their “liberty of action” (Sw. rörelsefrihet) that resulted from the right to down tools.471 Conservatives and employers continued to follow the line they adopted in 1910 and pushed hard for the introduction of mandatory arbitration for legal disputes concerning collective agreements, now with the expressed support of the liberal groups in parliament. During the 1920s, it was actually the liberal MPs who especially tried to hasten legislation on mandatory arbitration in the case of legal disputes.The labour movement, the Swedish Social Democratic Party and LO, as a rule, were totally against the proposals, even if amongst the leaders there were indications of a more positive attitude.The difference in views concerned, among other issues, the existence and extent of the duty of obedience, as well as political ends and means. Not least, the battle had to do with the workers’ mentioned claim on their “liberty of action”, despite a binding collective agreement, to go out on strike regarding p a r t i v, c h a p t e r 9 232 470 Lewin 1967, ch. 1; Lewin 1985, pp. 159-179. 471 Styrman 1946, pp. 194-204; Lohse 1963.
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