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Från främlingar till söner av fosterlandet – En rättshistorisk undersökning av argumentationen bakom den judiska emancipationen i Sverige

Kardell, Emelie LU (2026) JURM02 20261
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the rights of Jews in Sweden were seve-rely restricted. Under the Jew Statute of 1782, Jews were permitted to settle in Sweden under certain conditions, while at the same time being subject to extensive restrictions. During the 19th century, the question of Jewish rights and Jewish emancipation was a heavily debated topic in the Swedish parliament. In 1838, Jews were granted expanded rights through the June Decree, which was met with strong reactions and a desire within the parli-ament to return to the Jew Statute of 1782. In 1870, Jews were granted what was regarded as full civil rights through the ability to hold nearly all public offices.
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the development of... (More)
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the rights of Jews in Sweden were seve-rely restricted. Under the Jew Statute of 1782, Jews were permitted to settle in Sweden under certain conditions, while at the same time being subject to extensive restrictions. During the 19th century, the question of Jewish rights and Jewish emancipation was a heavily debated topic in the Swedish parliament. In 1838, Jews were granted expanded rights through the June Decree, which was met with strong reactions and a desire within the parli-ament to return to the Jew Statute of 1782. In 1870, Jews were granted what was regarded as full civil rights through the ability to hold nearly all public offices.
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the development of the legal status of Jews in Sweden between 1782 and 1870, and particularly the motives behind the 1870 amendment to Article 28 of the Instrument of Government. Particular focus is also placed on the 1840 debate about a reinstatement of the Jew Statute of 1782 and an immigration ban for Jews, to compare the debates and analyze the development over these 30 years.
To answer the research questions, the legal-historical method has been ap-plied. Through the analysis of historical legal sources in the form of legis-lation, parliamentary debates and other parliamentary documents, the method enables an understanding of the legal and political factors that in-fluenced the legal development over time. The thesis also uses critical di-scourse analysis to examine the language and argumentation used in the debates.
The thesis shows that the difference between the debates of 1840 and 1870 was significant. The 1840 debate was largely characterized by various forms of antisemitism, suspicion and perceptions of Jews as a foreign and harmful people. Jews were repeatedly portrayed as economically harmful, disloyal and incapable of integrating into the Swedish nation. Religion and the state were regarded as closely linked and Jews were viewed as a pot-ential threat to the religious order of the country. At the same time, there were liberal speakers who advocated for tolerance, justice and love for hu-manity.
The debate of 1870 was dominated by liberal and Enlightenment ideas of tolerance, freedom of religion, justice and equality before the law. Many speakers regarded Jews as Swedish, rather than as foreigners. Christianity was often used as an argument for the rights of people of different faiths through references to Christian love and the idea that faith should come from inner conviction. Among opponents of the reform, views from 30 ye-ars earlier persisted, but in less extreme forms, and Jews were mainly considered unsuitable as teachers and judges because of their faith. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Under 1700- och 1800-talet var judars rättigheter i Sverige starkt begrän-sade. Genom 1782 års judereglemente tilläts judar bosätta sig i Sverige under särskilda villkor samtidigt som de var föremål för omfattande re-striktioner. Under 1800-talet blev frågan om judars rättigheter och den ju-diska emancipationen ett omdebatterat ämne i Sveriges riksdag. År 1838 fick judar utökade rättigheter genom juniförordningen, vilket mötte kraf-tiga reaktioner och en vilja hos riksdagen att återgå till judereglementet. År 1870 erhöll judar vad som betraktades som fulla medborgerliga rättigheter genom möjligheten att inneha nästan alla statliga ämbeten.
Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka utvecklingen av judars rättsliga ställning i Sverige... (More)
Under 1700- och 1800-talet var judars rättigheter i Sverige starkt begrän-sade. Genom 1782 års judereglemente tilläts judar bosätta sig i Sverige under särskilda villkor samtidigt som de var föremål för omfattande re-striktioner. Under 1800-talet blev frågan om judars rättigheter och den ju-diska emancipationen ett omdebatterat ämne i Sveriges riksdag. År 1838 fick judar utökade rättigheter genom juniförordningen, vilket mötte kraf-tiga reaktioner och en vilja hos riksdagen att återgå till judereglementet. År 1870 erhöll judar vad som betraktades som fulla medborgerliga rättigheter genom möjligheten att inneha nästan alla statliga ämbeten.
Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka utvecklingen av judars rättsliga ställning i Sverige mellan 1782 och 1870 och framför allt de motiv som låg bakom 1870 års ändring av 28 § Regeringsformen. Särskilt fokus riktas även på debatten 1840 om ett återinförande av judereglementet och ett in-vandringsförbud för judar, för att jämföra debatterna och analysera utveckl-ingen under dessa 30 år.
För att besvara frågeställningarna har en rättshistorisk metod tillämpats. Genom analys av historiska rättskällor i form av lagstiftning, riksdagsde-batter och annat riksdagstryck möjliggörs en förståelse för de rättsliga och politiska faktorer som påverkade den rättsliga utvecklingen över tid. Upp-satsen använder även en kritisk diskursanalys för att analysera språkbruket och argumentationen i debatterna.
Uppsatsen visar att skillnaden mellan debatterna 1840 och 1870 var mycket stor. Debatten 1840 präglades i hög grad av olika former av antisemitism, misstänksamhet och föreställningar om judar som ett främmande och skad-ligt folk. Judar framställdes återkommande som ekonomiskt skadliga, illo-jala och oförmögna att integreras i den svenska nationen. Religion och stat betraktades som nära sammankopplade och judar ansågs kunna hota den religiösa ordningen i landet. Samtidigt fanns det liberala talare som före-språkade tolerans, rättvisa och människokärlek.
Debatten 1870 dominerades av liberalismens och upplysningens idéer om tolerans, religionsfrihet, rättvisa och likhet inför lagen. Många talare be-traktade judar som svenskar, i stället för som främlingar. Kristendomen användes dessutom ofta som argument för främmande trosbekännares rät-tigheter genom hänvisningar till kristlig kärlek och föreställningen att tron skulle komma från den inre övertygelsen. Hos reformmotståndare levde uppfattningar från 30 år tidigare kvar, men i mindre extrema former och främst ansågs judar olämpliga som lärare och domare på grund av deras religion. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Kardell, Emelie LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
From Strangers to Sons of the Motherland – A Legal-Historical Study of the arguments behind Jewish Emancipation in Sweden
course
JURM02 20261
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
rättshistoria, legal history, judars rättigheter, Jewish rights, judars historia i Sverige, Jewish history in Sweden, judiska emancipationen, Jewish emancipation, medborgerliga rättigheter, civil rights, religionsfrihet, freedom of religion
language
Swedish
id
9226712
date added to LUP
2026-06-09 14:58:15
date last changed
2026-06-09 14:58:15
@misc{9226712,
  abstract     = {{During the 18th and 19th centuries, the rights of Jews in Sweden were seve-rely restricted. Under the Jew Statute of 1782, Jews were permitted to settle in Sweden under certain conditions, while at the same time being subject to extensive restrictions. During the 19th century, the question of Jewish rights and Jewish emancipation was a heavily debated topic in the Swedish parliament. In 1838, Jews were granted expanded rights through the June Decree, which was met with strong reactions and a desire within the parli-ament to return to the Jew Statute of 1782. In 1870, Jews were granted what was regarded as full civil rights through the ability to hold nearly all public offices. 
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the development of the legal status of Jews in Sweden between 1782 and 1870, and particularly the motives behind the 1870 amendment to Article 28 of the Instrument of Government. Particular focus is also placed on the 1840 debate about a reinstatement of the Jew Statute of 1782 and an immigration ban for Jews, to compare the debates and analyze the development over these 30 years. 
To answer the research questions, the legal-historical method has been ap-plied. Through the analysis of historical legal sources in the form of legis-lation, parliamentary debates and other parliamentary documents, the method enables an understanding of the legal and political factors that in-fluenced the legal development over time. The thesis also uses critical di-scourse analysis to examine the language and argumentation used in the debates. 
The thesis shows that the difference between the debates of 1840 and 1870 was significant. The 1840 debate was largely characterized by various forms of antisemitism, suspicion and perceptions of Jews as a foreign and harmful people. Jews were repeatedly portrayed as economically harmful, disloyal and incapable of integrating into the Swedish nation. Religion and the state were regarded as closely linked and Jews were viewed as a pot-ential threat to the religious order of the country. At the same time, there were liberal speakers who advocated for tolerance, justice and love for hu-manity. 
The debate of 1870 was dominated by liberal and Enlightenment ideas of tolerance, freedom of religion, justice and equality before the law. Many speakers regarded Jews as Swedish, rather than as foreigners. Christianity was often used as an argument for the rights of people of different faiths through references to Christian love and the idea that faith should come from inner conviction. Among opponents of the reform, views from 30 ye-ars earlier persisted, but in less extreme forms, and Jews were mainly considered unsuitable as teachers and judges because of their faith.}},
  author       = {{Kardell, Emelie}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Från främlingar till söner av fosterlandet – En rättshistorisk undersökning av argumentationen bakom den judiska emancipationen i Sverige}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}