Finnish pastor and economist gets portrait on wall of Swedish Finance Minister
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By Kalle Koponen
Sweden’s Minister of Finance Anders Borg recently surprised many people by asking Finland to provide him with a portrait of a Finnish assistant pastor, who lived in Alaveteli in the 18th century, to hang in his office.
The portrait was not just any old preacher: It was Anders Chydenius, one of the most significant enlightenment philosophers of the Nordic region.
On Monday, August 31st, a Finnish delegation accompanied by Ambassador Alec Aalto presented the picture to Finance Minister Borg, who expressed considerable gratitude.
“I am deeply grateful. He remains a source of inspiration. He was one of those who supported the market economy and freedom of expression. He is therefore one of Sweden’s most important constitutional fathers.”
Borg said that he had asked for a portrait of Cydenius soon after taking up the post of Minister of Finance. “It turned out that the State of Sweden did not have a single portrait of Chydenius. That was surprising, and unacceptable.”
Borg requested the picture from Finland. The Chydenius Foundation helped, and the portrait was presented to the Swedish Finance Minister by Bishop Gustav Björkstrand, the chairman of the foundation, along with deputy chairman Sverker Gustafsson.
Anders Chydenius (1729-1803) was one of the most conspicuous Finnish politicians in the Swedish Empire. He was one of the first supporters of economic liberalism he also struggled on behalf of democracy and equality.
“For Sweden, his greatest achievement was the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression. Sweden was the first in the world to get a law on freedom of the press. that was important for Sweden, but it was also important from the international point of view.
He is a central figure in the history of Swedish thinking”, Borg emphasised.
“As a proponent of the market economy, Chydenius has been called “the Adam Smith of the north”.
Before Finland adopted the euro, Chydenius’s portrait adorned the 1,000- markka banknote.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 8.9.2009 - THIS WEEK |
 Finnish pastor and economist gets portrait on wall of Swedish Finance Minister |
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