Scandinavia as had long period of governmental stability, stable institutional structures and long established democratic procedures unthreatened by the dangers of internal totalitarian takeover.
 In the middle of the nineteenth century, none of the Scandinavian countries had begun
industrialization.  The peasantry composed the mass of the population.  The Scandinavian
countries have been transformed from conservative oligarchies into democratic political systems
in which working class parties play a major role, and welfare state policies have in many ways
developed further than in other advanced nations. 

- Political Development and Political culture: 
In every society there are different conceptions about the level and type of political participation
that is acceptable.  One characteristic all Scandinavian countries have in common is a
pre-democratic political structure based on the exercise of group authority within the peasant
community.  Only in Sweden peasantry play an institutionalized role in a parliament that
constitutionally required the assent of all four groups in society, (aristocracy, clergy, bourgeoisie,
peasantry). 

 In Denmark, it was at the end of the eighteenth century that the system of feudalism was
abolished and the number of independent farmers began to increase.  The June constitution of
1849 included a lower house selected by direct election and balanced partially by an indirectly
elected upper house.  A constitutional amendment of 1866 tried to strengthen the latter in the
hope that a coalition of farmers would ensure political stability, but instead it only guaranteed the
radicalization of the conflict between a majority in the lower house demanding parliamentary
sovereignty and a upper house dominated by the aristocracy and the bureaucracy. 

 In 1866 Sweden adopted a two-chamber parliamentary assembly. 

- Industrialization and Democratization: 
Industrialization must be seen as a major instrument of social and political transformation.  It
brings individuals into a new and unfamiliar urban setting and subjects them to the artificial
rhythms of factory environment.  During the first 50 years of this economic transformation each
of the Scandinavian countries experienced the growth of Liberal parties, whose major policy
platform was the extension of the suffrage and the introduction of true parliamentarianism.  This
means that the responsibility of the government of the day to popular sovereignty expressed
through a majority in the lower chamber of parliament. 

 Norway with its more liberal constitution was the first to establish parliamentarianism in 1884. 
Denmark followed in 1901.  Sweden was the last to change, but when it did the political
transformation reflected the rapidity of economic growth.  The change was so fast that the first
Social Democratic government was formed in Sweden in 1920. 

- Cleavage structures in Scandinavia: 
Scandinavian multipartyism owes as much to a divided political culture as to electoral
mechanisms like proportional representation may be seen as a device deliberately adopted to
allow cultural differences to be represented in accordance with their weight in the community.  It
is device to create a more fair kind of participatory democracy. 
 In general, the old urban-rural divide has declined with the decrease in the agricultural
population.  The farmer’s parties in Sweden and Norway have changed their names to the
Center party in the hope of attracting the white-collar group in the towns.  In September 1976
the Swedish Social Democrats' rule came to an end in an election in which one of the major issues
was the level of taxation. 

-Predominance of Groups: 
Swedish and Norwegian politics is described as group-dominant in the sense that organized
groups constitute the primary focus for political activity.  Their membership is high, and in each
country economic interest groups representing the industrial workers and their employers are
fully represented.  The farmers in each nation have strong interest groups representing their
economic demands. 

 In each country consumer cooperatives have played a major role in retailing.  Professional and
educational associations are strongly supported.    Groups that are unorganized or weakly
organized in some societies, such as tenants, pensioners, the handicapped and immigrants have
strong organizations. 

 In Norway and Sweden highly centralized trade union confederations (Lands organization, LO)
emerged.  Individual unions cannot strike without the permission by the LO and individual firms
cannot institute a lockout against the dictates of the employers association.  Wage agreements
happen by negotiation between LO and the respective employers association. 

- Government and Administration: 
The cabinet consists of a Prime Minister and a number of other ministers, most of whom are
responsible for the affairs of one of the departments of state.  The cabinet acts largely as an
agency of coordination and a forum for final decisions on issues.  Within the cabinet the Prime
Minister has authority in his role as party and national leader.  His position is limited to some
extent by the deference accorded departmental expertise, and his biggest roles are as chairman
and coordinator.