Claes Emil Tholin (22 October 1860 in the former Södra Säm parish near Gällstad, Älvsborgs län – 27 June 1927 in Stockholm) was the first leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party 1896–1907, after collective leadership had been applied in 1889–1896. He was a tailor by occupation. In the years 1880–1890 he worked in Copenhagen and became a member of the tailor's union board there. After returning to Sweden he continued his work as a tailor while becoming a leading force in the Swedish social democratic movement.[1]

Claes Tholin

In 1907, he was hired by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (the "LO" - Landsorganisationen i Sverige) as their organizing ombudsman, coordinating organization efforts and speaking at rallies. He continued this work until 1919, when he became a member of Work Council tasked by the government with implementing the eight hour day.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ Göran Jakobsson (12 January 2008): Ett namn som blev en bok Archived 2008-02-07 at the Wayback Machine (in Swedish) Borås Tidning, retrieved 4 August 2013.
  2. ^ Crafting the Movement: Identity Entrepreneurs in the Swedish Trade Union Movement, 1920–1940, Jenny Jansson, Cornell University Press, 2020, p. 56
Party political offices
Preceded by
Collective leadership
Leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
1896–1907
Succeeded by