The landowners worked in limited cooperation with the National Liberals and the Centre Party (a less conservative version of the National Liberals). In opposition, a number of interests, encompassing everything from leftist radicals to followers of Grundtvig, were shortly combined into the United Left, which put forward the first political manifesto seen in Denmark, it called for equal taxation, universal suffrage in local elections, more freedom for the farmers, and contained a vague demand for closer links with the other Scandinavian countries. The United Left became the majority within the Meting\n 1872. The ideas of revolutionary socialism had begun percolating through the country around 1871 via a series of pamphlets edited by Louis Pio, who attempted to organise a Danish Internationale. In April 1872, Pio led 1200 bricklayers into a strike, announcing a mass meeting on May 5. The government banned the meeting and had Pio arrested: he was sentenced to five years in prison and the Danish Internationalewas also banned. The workers began forming trade unions and workers' associations. The intellectual left also became active. A series of lectures delivered by Georg Brandes in Copenhagen cited Danish culture, in particular its literature, as dull and lifeless compared to that of other countries. He called for fresh works that questioned and examined socie, instigating a bout of literary attacks on institutions such as marriage, chastity and the family. As a bac'dash. conservative groups in the government formeo themselves into the United Right under the Prime Ministership of J.B.S. Estrup. The Left did their best to obstruct the govefj ment but, as time went on, they lost seats wl'® the strength of the Right grew. In 1889, the 18" issued a manifesto calling for reductions in"" j tary expenditure, a declaration of neutra'ity' I provision of old age pensions, sick pay, a limit to hours of work, and votes for women. The election of 1890 improved the Left's position in the folket ing, and also saw the election of two Social Democrats. With this, the left moved further towards moderation, and compromise with the right. The trade unions, whose membership escalated in proportion to the numbers employed in the new industries, grew in stature, and were united as the Association of Trade Unions in 1898. The Social Democratic Party grew stronger with the support of the industrial workers although it had no direct connection with the trade unions. ¦ Parliamentary democracy and World War I By the end of the century the power of the Right was in severe decline. The election of 1901, under the new conditions of a secret ballot, saw them reduced to the smallest group within the folketing and heralded the beginning of parlia mentaty democracy The government of 1901 was the first real democratic government, assembled with the intention of balancing differing political tendencies and it brought in a number of reforms.