The concept later developed in early 20th century Sweden as a part of the activities in popular movements, such as the temperance and the workers' movements. Oscar Olsson was a prominent proponent of them.
Since these movements' participants were working class or small farmers the study circles were important in relation to these classes' growing political power in the early 20th century.
Study circles arose with ambitions to create an educated citizenry.
The issues that were studied were already from the early period broad – it could be as well political and social issues as literature or even school topics. The population as a whole were generally literate as early as the 17th century, and therefore literacy training was not an important concern as a topic for study circles.
Other nonformal educations as folk high schools and popular lectures were already present, when study circles were developed and there were various kinds of connections between these different forms of studies open for adults with only compulsory shooling as formal education.
In Sweden today study circles are a mass phenomenon and have broad national support. Around 300,000 study circles have been reported each year since the 1970s.
National educational associations receive annual subsidies (subsidy) from the national government (Central government) and work with folk high schools (folkhögskolor), university short courses, correspondence study (Distance education) and distance learning (Distance education), allowing citizens to understand and participate more fully in their communities and nation.
The Swedish study circle model was successfully transplanted into American culture, most notably in the National Issues Forums (sponsored by the Domestic Policy Association in Dayton, Ohio) and the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen (International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers)'s Study Circle Program which began in 1986.