Det villradiga samhallet Kungliga Vetenskapsakademiens politiska och ekonomiska ideologi, 1739-1792
Moreover, the book demonstrates that neither the academy nor its members constituted a passive tool for the elite and the powers that be. Rather, they engaged in self-promotion by attributing themselves a crucial role in the project of general improvement they envisioned and added to
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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Lund
Nordic Academic Press
2020, 2020
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| Collection: | JSTOR Open Access Books - Collection details see MPG.ReNa |
| Summary: | Moreover, the book demonstrates that neither the academy nor its members constituted a passive tool for the elite and the powers that be. Rather, they engaged in self-promotion by attributing themselves a crucial role in the project of general improvement they envisioned and added to The academy formed part of the institutional landscape of power and functioned as a consultive body and an arena for the upper echelons of the Swedish realm. The monograph sheds light on the political and economic outlook of the Royal Academy of Sciences during the period 1739-1792 against the background of its intimate connections to the ruling stratum. Not least the Hat Party, which dominated the Swedish political scene during the Age of Liberty, and the autocratic King Gustav III. The study shows that the members of the academy overall gravitated towards traditional viewpoints and that their conceptualizations of society were substantially affected by their interactions with the power holders. While some fellows offered new ideas in line with an increasing contemporary emphasis on spontaneous societal development and the capability of individuals to act responsibly on their own accord, such notions were by no means prevalent. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences was an important institution in 18th-century Sweden. It brought together scientists and scholars active in a wide range of subjects, spanning both nature and society. But the organization also had close ties to the elite and those in power. It formed part of the institution's institutional landscape and served as a reference body and arena for those in power. The misguided society highlights the academy's political and economic views during the years 1739-1792 against the background of its close ties with the social leadership - not least the dominant hat party during the time of freedom and the autocratic Gustav III. The book suggests that the Swedish Academy of Sciences generally had a bias towards the traditional and that the members' ideas about society were clearly colored by the connections to power. Admittedly, members of the academy put forward new ideas in line with the increasing emphasis of the time on both spontaneous societal development and the individual's ability to take responsibility. Such ideas, however, were not common during the period at the center of the monograph, when the aristocratic society rested heavily on the creation of ideas. The book also states that neither the members of the Academy of Sciences nor the organization to which they belonged constituted a passive tool for community management. On the contrary, they asserted themselves by attributing to themselves an important role in the societal improvement project that they painted and contributed to. *** The Royal Academy of Sciences was an important organization in eighteenth-century Sweden. It brought together scientists and scholars contributing to a wide spectrum of areas, encompassing nature as well as society. But it also maintained close ties to the elite and the political establishment. |
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| Physical Description: | 344 pages |