 In his political views, he was described by one historian as proto-Liberal Party (political parties did not exist until 1884), having been vocally supported by later Liberal Party founder and Prime Minister Johan Sverdrup in their common opposition of Conservative Anton Martin Schweigaard during the 1860 debate on the Merchant Shipping Act ("Sjøfartsloven").Bøyesen went bankrupt in July 1867, following general economic hardships.The city had seen only one bankruptcy in 1866, but 32 from 1868 to 1871.