Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson came from humble working conditions. He was the son of shoemaker Nils Thorsson Viktor and Amalia Charlotta Pihlström. At the age of nine, he became an orphan, and was looked after by the parish officers and sold at child auction, where they offered children at sale.[1] That he would follow in his father's footsteps and be trained to cobbler was obvious; his journeyman he undertook, inter alia, in Copenhagen when he received a journeyman's certificate in Ystad. As a shoemaker, he worked in Stockholm, Uppsala and Sundsvall. In doing so, he began to agitate for improved conditions for the workers. Then he became known as a prominent figure of the Scanian Socialists, he boycotted by several employers and returned to his home town, Ystad, where he opened a shoemaker with his partner Anders Nordstrand.
Political career
In 1889, Thorsson was employed by the Social Democratic Party in southern Sweden as an agitator, and proved to be quite talented. In 1897 he campaigned against C. G. Ekman, which resulted in several trade unions affiliating themselves with the social democratic movement.
Thorsson was elected to the Lower House of the then bicameral Parliament of Sweden in 1902, and was regarded as the most radical of the Social Democrats. In the parliament he won a debate against the State Committee, a powerful group in the bicameral parliament, regarding the sale of state property. In 1909 he became a member of the State Committee, then headed by Karl Staaf, with special responsibility for the military defence, and was also appointed Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Trustees. In contrast to other left-wing politicians in the parliamentary group, he was positive to the military defence. He was a member of the State Committee until 1917. In 1914 he became a member of the governing board of the Swedish National Bank and re-elected in 1917. In 1918, he became Minister for Finance in Nils Edén's cabinet, a coalition between Liberals and Social Democrats, when Hjalmar Branting had resigned as Minister for Finance. He then implemented a budget reform and drafted proposals for council tax reforms.
In March 1920, the coalition government was dissolved when Thorsson could not agree with the Liberals in the government on municipal taxes. In Branting's first cabinet, he became the first Minister of Commerce and Industry, heading the newly created Ministry of Commerce and Industry for a few months in 1920. He was then appointed Minister for Finance in Branting's second cabinet in 1921. The cabinet dissolved itself in April 1923, when the Upper House would not accept a proposal regarding unemployment support.
Thorsson again became Minister for Finance in Branting's third cabinet in October 1924. When Branting died in February 1925, Thorsson was, according to some sources[who?] elected chairman of the Social Democratic party, but he was not officially recognised as such before falling ill and dying in May of that year. Ernst Wigforss in his memoirs states that Thorsson firmly believed that Rickard Sandler, who had served as prime minister since Branting fell ill in January, was the most suitable candidate for party chairman. Thorsson was succeeded as finance minister by Ernst Wigforss, and Per Albin Hansson became party chairman.
Legacy
Fredrik Ström wrote an account of Thorsson in the small volume Skomakaren, som blev kungens skattmästare, which was printed the year after Ström's death.
In Ystad, a bust of Thorsson was later set up in the city.
References
Notes
^. Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
Printed sources
Ström, Fredrik (1949). Skomakaren som blev kungens skattmästare: F. V. Thorsson. Deras liv blev bragd, 99-2921440-2 ; 19 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Sv. missionsförb. 1458905.
Wigforss, Ernst (1950–1954). Minnen (in Swedish). Stockholm: Tiden. 452589.
Dahl Torsten, Bohman Nils, ed. (1954). Svenska män och kvinnor: biografisk uppslagsbok. 7, Sibylla-Tjällgren (in Swedish). Stockholm: Bonnier. 53806.
Further reading
Tidman, Yngve (1988). "Skomagarepågen som blev rikshushållare". Ystadiana (in Swedish). 1988: 141–161 : fotogr. 9168058.
Uhlén, Axel (1996). "Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson: skomakare, parkföreståndare, riksskattmästare". Notiser från Arbetarnas kulturhistoriska sällskap (in Swedish). Stockholm : Arbetarnas kulturhistoriska sällsk., 1996: 192–198. 2245191.
Vennerström, Ivar (1926). F.V. Thorsson: en minnesskrift (in Swedish). Stockholm: Tiden. 8074846.
fredrik, vilhelm, thorsson, 1865, 1925, swedish, politician, shoemaker, minister, finance, during, three, separate, periods, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, minister, commerce, industry, 1920, minister, financein, office, january, 1918, june, 1920prime, mi. Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson 30 May 1865 5 May 1925 was a Swedish politician and shoemaker He was Minister for Finance during three separate periods 1918 1920 1921 1923 and 1924 1925 and Minister of Commerce and Industry in 1920 Fredrik Vilhelm ThorssonMinister for FinanceIn office 5 January 1918 June 30 1920Prime MinisterNils EdenHjalmar BrantingPreceded byHjalmar BrantingSucceeded byRickard SandlerIn office 13 October 1921 19 April 1923Prime MinisterHjalmar BrantingPreceded byJacob BeskowSucceeded byJacob BeskowIn office 18 October 1924 5 May 1925Prime MinisterHjalmar BrantingRickard SandlerPreceded byJacob BeskowSucceeded byErnst Wigforss1st Minister of Commerce and IndustryIn office 1 July 1920 27 October 1920Prime MinisterHjalmar BrantingPreceded byPost createdSucceeded byGosta MalmPersonal detailsBorn30 May 1865Stora Kopinge socken Malmohus CountyDied5 May 1925 1925 05 05 aged 59 YstadPolitical partySocial Democrats Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Political career 2 Legacy 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Printed sources 4 Further readingBiography EditFredrik Vilhelm Thorsson came from humble working conditions He was the son of shoemaker Nils Thorsson Viktor and Amalia Charlotta Pihlstrom At the age of nine he became an orphan and was looked after by the parish officers and sold at child auction where they offered children at sale 1 That he would follow in his father s footsteps and be trained to cobbler was obvious his journeyman he undertook inter alia in Copenhagen when he received a journeyman s certificate in Ystad As a shoemaker he worked in Stockholm Uppsala and Sundsvall In doing so he began to agitate for improved conditions for the workers Then he became known as a prominent figure of the Scanian Socialists he boycotted by several employers and returned to his home town Ystad where he opened a shoemaker with his partner Anders Nordstrand Political career Edit In 1889 Thorsson was employed by the Social Democratic Party in southern Sweden as an agitator and proved to be quite talented In 1897 he campaigned against C G Ekman which resulted in several trade unions affiliating themselves with the social democratic movement Thorsson was elected to the Lower House of the then bicameral Parliament of Sweden in 1902 and was regarded as the most radical of the Social Democrats In the parliament he won a debate against the State Committee a powerful group in the bicameral parliament regarding the sale of state property In 1909 he became a member of the State Committee then headed by Karl Staaf with special responsibility for the military defence and was also appointed Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Trustees In contrast to other left wing politicians in the parliamentary group he was positive to the military defence He was a member of the State Committee until 1917 In 1914 he became a member of the governing board of the Swedish National Bank and re elected in 1917 In 1918 he became Minister for Finance in Nils Eden s cabinet a coalition between Liberals and Social Democrats when Hjalmar Branting had resigned as Minister for Finance He then implemented a budget reform and drafted proposals for council tax reforms In March 1920 the coalition government was dissolved when Thorsson could not agree with the Liberals in the government on municipal taxes In Branting s first cabinet he became the first Minister of Commerce and Industry heading the newly created Ministry of Commerce and Industry for a few months in 1920 He was then appointed Minister for Finance in Branting s second cabinet in 1921 The cabinet dissolved itself in April 1923 when the Upper House would not accept a proposal regarding unemployment support Thorsson again became Minister for Finance in Branting s third cabinet in October 1924 When Branting died in February 1925 Thorsson was according to some sources who elected chairman of the Social Democratic party but he was not officially recognised as such before falling ill and dying in May of that year Ernst Wigforss in his memoirs states that Thorsson firmly believed that Rickard Sandler who had served as prime minister since Branting fell ill in January was the most suitable candidate for party chairman Thorsson was succeeded as finance minister by Ernst Wigforss and Per Albin Hansson became party chairman Legacy EditFredrik Strom wrote an account of Thorsson in the small volume Skomakaren som blev kungens skattmastare which was printed the year after Strom s death In Ystad a bust of Thorsson was later set up in the city References EditNotes Edit Yvonne Hirdman Jenny Bjorkman Urban Lundberg Dick Harrison Sveriges historia 1920 1965 Archived from the original on 2013 02 18 Retrieved 2013 05 27 Printed sources Edit Strom Fredrik 1949 Skomakaren som blev kungens skattmastare F V Thorsson Deras liv blev bragd 99 2921440 2 19 in Swedish Stockholm Sv missionsforb 1458905 Wigforss Ernst 1950 1954 Minnen in Swedish Stockholm Tiden 452589 Dahl Torsten Bohman Nils ed 1954 Svenska man och kvinnor biografisk uppslagsbok 7 Sibylla Tjallgren in Swedish Stockholm Bonnier 53806 Further reading EditTidman Yngve 1988 Skomagarepagen som blev rikshushallare Ystadiana in Swedish 1988 141 161 fotogr 9168058 Uhlen Axel 1996 Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson skomakare parkforestandare riksskattmastare Notiser fran Arbetarnas kulturhistoriska sallskap in Swedish Stockholm Arbetarnas kulturhistoriska sallsk 1996 192 198 2245191 Vennerstrom Ivar 1926 F V Thorsson en minnesskrift in Swedish Stockholm Tiden 8074846 Political officesPreceded byHjalmar Branting Minister for Finance1918 1920 Succeeded byRickard SandlerPreceded byOffice established Minister of Commerce and Industry1920 Succeeded byGosta MalmPreceded byJacob Beskow Minister for Finance1921 1923 Succeeded byJacob BeskowPreceded byJacob Beskow Minister for Finance1924 1925 Succeeded byErnst Wigforss Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fredrik Vilhelm Thorsson amp oldid 1126272043, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
