Erik Gustaf Boström facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erik Gustaf Boström
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| Prime Minister of Sweden | |
| In office 10 July 1891 – 12 September 1900 |
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| Monarch | Oscar II |
| Preceded by | Gustaf Åkerhielm |
| Succeeded by | Fredrik von Otter |
| In office 5 July 1902 – 13 April 1905 |
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| Monarch | Oscar II |
| Preceded by | Fredrik von Otter |
| Succeeded by | Johan Ramstedt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 February 1842 Stockholm, Sweden |
| Died | 21 February 1907 (aged 65) Stockholm, Sweden |
| Political party | Lantmanna Party |
| Alma mater | Uppsala University |
Erik Gustaf Bernhard Boström (born February 11, 1842 – died February 21, 1907) was an important Swedish politician. He was a landowner and served in the Swedish Parliament from 1876 to 1907. He is known for being the longest-serving Prime Minister of Sweden in the 1800s.
Boström was Prime Minister two times. His first term was from 1891 to 1900, and his second was from 1902 to 1905. People often called him E.G. Boström.
In 1871, he married Carolina "Lina" Almqvist. They had six daughters and one son. Erik Gustaf Boström was the brother of Filip Boström, who was a County Governor. He was also the nephew of the famous philosopher Christopher Jacob Boström.
Boström's way of leading the government was very practical. This approach is called Realpolitik. He became well-respected and seen as a national symbol. This was special because he was the first prime minister who didn't have a university degree or much experience in high government jobs before. He was also quite popular with King Oscar II. Boström eventually left his position because he couldn't agree on how to handle the issue with Norway.
Early Life and Political Journey
Erik Gustaf Boström was born in Stockholm, Sweden. His father, Eric Samuel Boström, was a chief judge. His mother was Elisabet Gustava Fredenheim. His family came from a long line of priests.
He was taught by a private teacher named Kristian Claëson. In 1854, he started studying at the Uppsala Cathedral School. This was also the year his father passed away. It's interesting that five of his future government colleagues went to the same school. These were Axel Rappe, Edvard von Krusenstjerna, Ludvig Annerstedt, Gustaf Gilljam, and Lars Åkerhielm. In 1861, Boström went to Uppsala University. He studied there until 1863, when his mother died. After that, he had to take over managing his family's large estate, Östanå Castle.
As a young man, he chose to pay a fee to avoid joining the military. This was allowed until 1872.
Boström was very good at farming. He soon started to get involved in local politics. In 1870, he joined the executive committee of the Agricultural Society of Stockholm County. He also became a member of the county council for Stockholm County. He served as vice-chairperson and then chairperson there for many years.
In 1871, he married Carolina Almqvist. Her father, Ludvig Almqvist, was a Justice Councillor and a Minister. In 1875, Boström was elected to the lower house of parliament. He represented the area of Södra Roslagen. In parliament, he joined the Lantmanna Party. He quickly became a strong supporter of protectionism. This meant he believed in using tariffs (taxes on imported goods) to protect Swedish businesses. He worked on this in the Standing Committee of Ways and Means and the Standing Committee of Banking. He also believed in having a strong defense, especially a strong navy. He was against getting rid of the Swedish allotment system, which was a way of organizing the military.
After Being Prime Minister
After he finished his time as Prime Minister, Boström became the Chancellor of the Swedish Universities. In this role, he tried to stop Bengt Lidforss from continuing as an associate professor at Lund University, but he was not successful. He then offered to resign from his chancellor position, but he quickly changed his mind.
Boström remained interested in politics. In a letter to his friend Carl Herslow, he wrote that he wished the previous government could have stayed in power. He also mentioned that Karl Staaff's government might be better at social policy than a conservative government. Boström died at his home in Stockholm on February 21, 1907. A few days later, church bells rang across Stockholm to honor the former Prime Minister.
Family Life
Erik Gustaf Boström had a close family.
- He had one brother, Filip Boström, who was the County Governor of Södermanland County.
- He also had three sisters, including Ebba Boström.
- Erik and Carolina Boström had six daughters: Hedvig, Carolina Elisabeth, Sofia Lovisa, Clara Gustafva, Ingeborg Maria, and Eva Margareta.
- They had one son, Gustaf Samuel Boström, who became a Chamberlain.
- He was married to Carolina Almqvist. Her father, Ludvig Almqvist, was a Councillor of Justice and a Minister.
