Dissolution of The Union Between Norway and Sweden in 1905 - Importance of The Events of 1905

Importance of The Events of 1905

In many ways, the events of 1905 formed a sequel to the events of 1814, but there were some important differences:

• Whereas the 1814 independence movement in large part was driven by political opportunism among the national elite, the 1905 movement was a result of political trends largely driven by elected officials with massive popular support.
• In 1905, Norway was not put in play by war as a territorial prize.
• By 1905, Norwegians had established many of the institutions and infrastructure of a sovereign, independent state.
• By 1905, European statesmanship was more inclined to favour Norwegian independence than in 1814.

Much has been made of the supremacy of diplomacy in averting war between Sweden and Norway in 1905. In truth, the Norwegians had much more to fight for than the Swedes if it had come to war. Both parties recognized that their geographical proximity made long-term hostility untenable under any circumstance.

Many documents related to the specific events of 1905 were destroyed during and following those years. Some historians speculate that foreign interests played a stronger role than what had previously been assumed; in particular, that Great Britain influenced the dissolution in order to reduce German influence over Atlantic ports. Although Sweden's close relationship with Germany did not last long, Norway's independence immediately put it inside the British sphere of influence.