Craft Professions

In 17th- and 18th-century Sweden, the practice of craft professions was strictly regulated. In rural areas, the most common crafts were shoemaking and tailoring. Before the 1680s, each parish was allowed only one shoemaker and one tailor. Later, the provincial governor determined how many craftsmen could operate in each area.

This gave rise to the parish craftsman system. To obtain an official license, a craftsman had to present a letter of recommendation from the parish residents, attesting to his good character and trustworthiness. Practitioners of crafts were referred to as “professional men”. In 18th-century Loimaa, there were, among others, blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, joiners—and even a wig maker.

The monetary economy was also tightly regulated, as the Swedish crown sought to concentrate capital in Stockholm. Most goods could legally be sold, bought, and stored only in towns. This reflected the mercantilist thought of early Modern Europe. Its central dogma was that only limited amount of wealth existed in the World; accordingly, global economics were treated as a zero-sum game.

The myriad trade and labor restrictions imposed upon common folk were commonly violated. Reforms to the economic system began after Russia conquered Finland in 1808–1809. Freedom of occupation was enacted in 1879, but soon enough, craftsmen began to face fierce competition from industrial productions.