Past, present, future
For the test, you will be presenting a long-term development
of Swedish history. You have the option of focusing on different “main issues”
(e.g., politics, religion, economics, social change). You will demonstrate that
you understand how various events/developments can read as causes and
consequences as part of a process (or processes) of change in Swedish history.
Whichever history you present (that is, whichever sequence
of events you put together), I would like for you to attempt to connect that
history to today. You are showing that events in the past had an impact on what
came after (causes and consequences). The world we live in today is a
consequence or a result of Sweden’s past, and you want to show that you understand
this. You do that explaining, in some manner, how Sweden today is connected to
the past that you have presented in your answer.
Keep in mind that in your answer you want to bring in events
that take you up into the 20th century. Otherwise you’ll have a
difficult time making connections to today. (That is, it’s hard to jump from,
say, 1850 to 2019 without anything in between.)
Additionally, and lastly, you want to consider what could be
a next logical development in Swedish history, based on the sequence of events
you have presented. The future will be a consequence of the what has happened
in the past, including what’s going on today.
Students sometimes ask if they are allowed to bring in opinion.
No, because opinion doesn’t require logic. Examples: I like the taste of bananas. In
twenty years, I think that Burkina Faso will have the world’s largest economy.
There’s no need to offer any logical argument to present an opinion.
But you
are not presenting opinions in your answer. You are demonstrating that you
understand that the past has had an impact on the world today, and that the
past and present will have an impact on the future. Because it does, and it
always has. You are making an argument where you make logical statements based
on the material you have presented. And that material is factual material.
Ideas to help you do this:
-
If you choose to discuss political development, and if you focus on Sweden moving from political rule that gave power to
only a few people to a system that
allows for many people to participate in the political process, you could consider
present: the
political system in Sweden today: Is Sweden continuing to be more democratic?
(We can reflect on the idea that the creation of a system where everyone can
vote isn’t the end of democratic development. Are all people in society protected and treated equally and justly? A
democratic voting system helps determine which groups have political power. But
if that majority doesn’t take care of all of the people, is a system
democratic?)
future:
And based on the present situation that you discuss, how do you think Sweden is
likely to continue to evolve in terms of political rule and power? Will Sweden
continue to be more democratic? Will there be a change in another direction?
(If you think there will be a change in another direction, you need to have presented
some sort of information that can be the “cause” for that “consequence.” )
If you choose to discuss economic development, and if you focus on industrial development
connected to natural resources, you could consider
present:
1)
industries, companies, exports that today are
important to Sweden that can be seen to be connected to Sweden’s continued
exploitation of minerals, trees, water . . . (that is, things made from steel,
from wood (including paper), from copper . . . And ways in which water is used,
either by fishing in the waters or using it in energy).
Or
2)
environmental problems that have developed in as
a result of having so much of her economy based on the production of natural
resources. This could include pollution, the energy required to transport
goods, the permanent loss of resources . . .
future: Based on your discussion
of the present, do you see such industries continuing to be vital to the
Swedish economy? Or are there other issues (which you want to bring in earlier
in some manner so that you have “causes”) that lead you to think that Sweden
will move further away from traditional industries and more in the direction of
newer types of businesses. (Keep in mind that companies such as Spotify are the
result of a different sort of scientific/technological knowledge than that needed
to build cars; but the foundation of such industries still requires universities
that teach math, physics, . . . as well as factories that make satellites, and
radio masts and towers – all of which have to be invented and designed and
built somewhere.)
If you choose to discuss religious development, and if you focus on changes in Swedish
society connected to religion, you could consider
present:
1: that the Swedish Church has
fewer and fewer members. You can connect this to different issues. The Swedish
Church can be seen to have less and less power on Swedish society. And thus,
there must be other institutions or something that has more power in Swedish
society in the areas that the Church used to have. Where are Swedes getting
moral guidance from?
2: Sweden has very liberal laws
regarding abortion, rights for homosexuals, women’s rights (including women in
the work force, women in politics, even women in the Church), which counter
traditional religious views, particularly those of, say, the Catholic Church.
future:
Based on your discussion of the
present, what is/are likely development(s) in the future? Will Sweden continue
to develop more liberal laws and traditions? Will the Swedish Church continue
to less powerful? Are there other parts of Swedish society that will
increasingly be “in charge of” helping Swedes figure out how to behave morally?
Or are the reasons that would indicate that the Swedish Church will grow in
power in the future? Or perhaps there are other religions/churches that you
think will become more powerful and influential in Sweden in the future (in
which case you need to have presented something as a “cause” for this).
