The Swedish people’s school (folkskolan), Sweden’s first official school institution, was first established during the year 1842. Before this point education had primarily been a local affair, where the church traditionally had been entrusted to educate the Swedish people. The traditional role which the church served in the sphere of education ensured that the institution possessed a large amount of influence in the sector. This influence went largely unchallenged with the founding of an official school system, and the church continued to dominate the sphere of education. However, during the late part of the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century, seemingly out of nowhere the traditional role which the church possessed within the sphere of education began to be challenged by certain politicians. The reason why this is peculiar is that the contemporary political system was dominated by conservative politicians which seemingly had a positive relationship to the traditional relationship between church and education.

The primary purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate the political discourse which surrounded the school system and its secularization and the various political groups different opinions about the relevant subjects. By charting these opinions using a qualitative content analysis and contrasting them to each other, it can be determined if certain groups adjusted to other opinions. This could then in conjunction with the use of a neo-institutional theory explain how such a drastic shift in the relationship between the church and the educational system could occur even though the parliament was dominated by conservative politicians. Because they were incapable of acting in their own interests, because of changing external factors.

The material used in this essay are motions put forth by Swedish members of parliament during the period 1895 – 1909. These documents include names of the members when they were put forth and the proposed change they are suggesting.

My results found that certain members of parliament which previously had remained positive to the traditional relationship between the church and the educational system, started to adapt to the changing external environment by putting forward legislation which would limit the churches role within education as well as society at large.