In the early twentieth century, Sweden was on the verge of developing into a democracy. This was not done without conflict, however. In the 1910s, the main struggle was between the people’s power and the king’s power. Although the latter seemed to strengthen the hold on power against parliamentarism, the dramatic years of 1917 and 1919 – with a popular mass movement demanding peace, bread and suffrage – led to a Left-wing government in power and a general suffrage reform. The interwar years were dominated by confrontational and sometimes violent labour disputes. It also established the Social Democrats hold on political power with a modern welfare state – the so-called ‘people’s home’ – as a result.