Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 80

northern forests to provide lumber for export and domestic use. Many
trees harvested then were as old as 300 to 500 years.
Like its Scandinavian sister, Denmark, Sweden's peripheral location
meant it was slow to integrate with Europe during the Middle Ages. In the
17th century, much of the contact took the form of wars with Denmark,
Germany, and Russia. In the 18th century, the Enlightenment produced an
intellectual flowering. The botanist Carolus Linnaeus developed the bino-
mial system of nomenclature and originated the modern scientific classifi-
cation of plants and animals. The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786.
By the 19th century, the country turned from Enlightenment rationality
to the emotionalism of the Romantic Movement imported from Germany.
Themes in painting and poetry glorified nature, the countryside, and
peasants. Science blossomed as well with exploration of the polar regions.
In 1895 the chemist Svante Arrhenius discovered the greenhouse effect
and calculated its impact at every latitude. In 1903 the kingdom passed a
modern forestry law based on sustainable yield.
Sweden has not fought a war since 1814. Its neutrality during the First and
Second World Wars spared it the catastrophes of the century, and encour-
aged the kingdom to take a role in diplomacy and peacekeeping. Internally,
it enjoys advantages in its homogeneous population. Its generous welfare
programs began in 1910 with workers compensation insurance law.
Like Denmark and the Netherlands, Sweden is a constitutional mon-
archy, nominally headed by King Carl Gustaf. Its unicameral parliament
has 349 members elected by a system of proportional representation.
Eight parties hold seats. On the left, the Social Democrats and the Left
Wing usually form one coalition and on the right Moderates, Liberals,
and the Center Party usually form an opposing coalition. The parties of
the so-called left are actually quite moderate. The Social Democrats, who
were in power for a half century, have been weaker in recent years but are
still the single largest party.
In 1988 the Environmental Party Greens won 20 seats, entering par-
liament for the first time. In this election it crossed the threshold of 4%
to qualify. Ten years later it found itself in a crucial position. The Social
Democrats had done poorly in the election, and its coalition with the Left
Wing was a few votes short, so they invited the Greens to become part of
the ruling block. Recently, it has not been officially part of the government
but has cooperated in votes in parliament on a case by case basis. The
2006 election shifted power from the Social Democrats, who had long led
the government, to a moderate coalition, that is, more conservative. It was