Ståndens

Ståndens is a Swedish term referring to the historical social estates or orders that constituted Swedish society for centuries. This system divided the population into distinct groups with differing rights, obligations, and privileges. The primary ståndens were the clergy (prinses), the nobility (adeln), the burghers (borgare), and the peasantry (bonde). Each estate had its own representation within the Riksdag of the Estates, the legislative body of the realm. The clergy represented the church and its interests, the nobility held significant land and political power, the burghers represented urban merchants and craftsmen, and the peasantry comprised free landowners. This estate system was a fundamental aspect of Swedish governance and social structure until its abolition in the 19th century, largely replaced by a more modern, class-based society. The concept of ståndens reflects a hierarchical social order where one's birth and occupation largely determined their place and influence in society.