Abstract
Reviewed by: Mathias Persson, Uppsala University, Sweden
Along with its precursor, the second volume of The Cambridge History of Scandinavia constitutes the first thorough historical account of this region in its entirety. The volume reviewed here is a highly ambitious attempt to outline the history of the Nordic countries from the Reformation and the disintegration of the so-called Kalmar Union to the onset of modern nation-states and more substantial industrialization, three and a half centuries characterized by – as the volume editors point out – increasing Europeanization and transnational transfer. The reader is confronted with a beast of a book, which includes a wide array of topics – cultural, economic, intellectual, political and social history – all amply represented in 50 contributions penned by 38 researchers, most of whom either are or have been affiliated with an institution of higher education in one of the nations covered by the articles. The twin problems of representativeness and accurate portrayal that tend to afflict appraisals of anthologies become even more acute when the object of the review comprises over a thousand pages. Arguably, the best way for the reviewer to approach the daunting task at hand is to describe the composition and themes of the book, and to highlight some of the individual texts in order to give the reader concrete examples of its content.
The first part of the tome focuses upon the Reformation and the aftermath of the dissolution of the Kalmar Union, a medieval creation that had encompassed all of Scandinavia and was superseded by two separate kingdoms, Sweden-Finland and Denmark-Norway-Iceland. Part II deals with material expansion, that is, developments in population, settlement, economy, and the social order, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. For instance, Knud V. Jespersen draws attention to the economic heterogeneity of Scandinavia and discerns three economic zones – Denmark, Norway, and Sweden-Finland – defined by natural and historical differences. The third part, which likewise dwells on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but also presents longer vistas, explores the protracted struggle for Baltic dominion between Denmark and Sweden, their militarization and military organization, the fortunes of aristocratic and royal power, social and religious regimentation, the internationalization and Europeanization of Scandinavia – not least with regard to the Netherlands – and Scandinavian empire building, in the Baltic and beyond. In a noteworthy piece, Øystein Rian sheds light on the internal configurations and conditions of Denmark-Norway and Sweden-Finland from the vantage point of centre and periphery.
The fourth part, ‘Society in the Eighteenth Century’, considers demographic, economic and social aspects, the circumstances of the commoners, material, popular, court, and aristocratic culture, arts and literature, education and social care, and religious and intellectual outlooks, especially pietism and rationalism. Two entire chapters, both written by John Bergsagel, are devoted to music, at the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century courts and in eighteenth-century Scandinavia, respectively. In this part of the volume, a comprehensive examination of the elusive and disputed term ‘enlightenment’ would have benefited the book as well as the reader, given its central position in the eighteenth century and the fact that it is used by several authors who desist from pinpointing it.
Part V revolves around political affairs and consists of only a couple of articles. Panu Pulma’s ‘Constitution and Politics’ is broader in scope than the title implies and slightly confusing with respect to disposition and delimitation. Its relationship to the companion article, Ole Feldbaek’s ‘Denmark in the Napoleonic Wars, 1807–14’, is likewise somewhat unclear, as is the rationale for juxtaposing them as a particular part of the anthology.
Part VI looks into the new economic order that took hold in the nineteenth century and begins with a short overview of Scandinavia between the Congress of Vienna and the Paris Commune. The following texts discuss Scandinavia’s demographic transition, agricultural development, and industrial expansion. The latter is delineated by Markku Kuisma, who connects it with multiple other factors, such as liberalization and entrepreneurship. Part VII, ‘The New Social Order’, continues on with the nineteenth century and delves into the emergence of novel social groups, class society, and civil society, the commencement of the Great Emigration, everyday life, and arts and literature. In an article on education, Lars Petterson revises the teleological history writing pertaining to schooling and questions the significance that has been attributed to a handful of ordinances, which were in actuality no game changers. Part VIII of the volume concerns nineteenth-century politics – constitutional and governmental facets, Scandinavianism (i.e. notions of a culturally or politically unified Scandinavia), and the rise of the modern nation-state, a subject that is illuminated in five whole chapters, each dedicated to one of the Nordic countries.
The ninth and final part of the book provides a conclusion devised by the editors, E. I. Kouri and Jens E. Olesen, who summarize its contents, with an emphasis on the early modern period.
The Cambridge History of Scandinavia: Volume II has some overarching problems. It at times comes across as a bit uneven or straggling, most probably because the contributors were allowed to complete their tasks ‘without editorial constraint’. There is occasional overlapping, and a few of the texts tend to be a bit too invested in individual actors, which results in distracting tonal differences. All in all, the book would have profited from more regulation and may well have been more concise. That being said, the anthology no doubt serves to furnish international readers with in-depth and easily accessible knowledge about Scandinavian history. What is more, it mostly succeeds in striking a balance between the Nordic states, while continuously comparing them to one another and frequently linking them to the wider world outside of the Baltic. This is no small feat and makes for a solid addition to the ongoing re-evaluation – in Scandinavia and elsewhere – of a past that has all too often been exhibited in nation-state terms.