The Swedish Freedom of the Press Act was a watershed moment in the history of free speech. Such a firm protection of free speech did not exist anywhere else on earth. For all their liberality, neither the Dutch Republic nor Britain had adopted specific laws that positively protected freedom of speech. Another groundbreaking feature of the act was that it protected freedom of information—extensively so. Most documents and minutes from the courts, public authorities, Diet, and even the executive were now accessible to the public.
