Gustav III

(Picture taken from: http://danielsundstrom.se/wp-content/uploads/Gustav-III1.jpg)

This day in 1792 the Swedish king Gustav III died from the wounds he got when shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström.

I will not go into the details concerning his death and the history around the conspirators as this is well known data.
What I would like to say is that Sweden, from a cultural point of view, is in need of a person like Gustav III today. This as culture in all its different representations, is seen only as something 'supplementary' to other 'more important' areas in society.
Our politicians today don't understand that culture is the single most important factor for the development and survival of our society(ies).

Of course I'm not in favour of the despotic traits in his person and the fact that he was a dictator and of course he was rewarded prices from institutions he had favoured, almost making him look like one of the foremost artists at the time, something he was not (compare despots as Kim Jong Il and others) but his interest in and promotion of culture in all its prevailing diversity, is something we would need today.
He continued and supported the ideas put forward during the Age of Liberty and thereby founded or promoted institutions as The Royal Swedish Academy of Music, The Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, The Swedish Theatre, The Royal Swedish Opera, The Royal Swedish Ballet, The Swedish Academy, The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities.

I know that the interest and support for the culture - as with Louis XIV of France - lead to that the poor was neglected but Sweden of today (and France) can afford both a rich cultural life and support for the weakest in society.
Unfortunately the Swedish governments - whether 'left' or 'right' - neglect both.

The Swedish political leaders today are to nonliterate to realize the importance of culture and the Royal family are concentrating most of their work on the promotion of technique, industry and the more 'classical' export areas in Sweden.
The king is no Gustav III.

This might change when an intellectual person comes to power in Sweden but will this ever happen?