The World’s First Freedom of Information Act

"240 years ago the world's first Freedom of Information Act took effect in Sweden-Finland. The Finnish enlightenment thinker and politician Anders Chydenius (1729-1803) played a crucial role in creating the new law in 1766. It abolished political censorship and gave the public access to government documents. Chydenius' legacy remains topical in the world 240 years later. This anniversary publication contains a translation of the 1766 Act, an article of its origins as well as several articles on the contemporary challenges of Freedom of Information."

Download the report (102 pages, PDF). The report has been published by the Anders Chydenius Foundation.

Technorati Tags: FOI, Sweden, Finland