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SECRE
SECTION I
POLITICAL SITUATION
1. Genesis of the Present Political System
Denmark, now a small and defenseless kingdom, claimed sovereignty
in the tenth century over England, and until 1814 over Norway, Schleswig and
Holstein, and Iceland. Norway gained her independence from Denmark in 1814
after the Napoleonic wars; Schleswig and Holstein became part of Prussia in
1864; Iceland gained her independence in 1944; and the Faeroe Islanders are
now considering withdrawal from Danish sovereignty. Greenland, nominally
owned by the Danes, became a US base during the war and would inevitably come
under great-power control in case of another conflict.
Until 1848, Denmark was an absolute monarchy, but ruinous financial
conditions stemming from the Napoleonic wars (in which the Danish king had
supported Napoleon) brought about a strong movement to limit the king's
power. In 1849, with the free consent of Frederick VII, a new constitution
was adopted which is basically the one in effect today. It was liberalized
in 1915 to include universal suffrage (ending the privileged suffrage of
wealth and aristocracy) and was slightly amended in 1920.
During the latter half of the nineteenth century, despite the war
in which Denmark lost the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein, political
progress was orderly, the Government generally alternating between the
Liberals and Conservatives. It was during this period that the movements
were begun that eventually brought about Denmark's typical present institu-
tions: farming by independent smallholders; the Danish Folk High Schools;
intelligent cultivation of the land based upon agricultural education;
farmers' and consumers' cooperatives designed for group protection of
individual interests, and an economy based solidly on agricultural produc-
tion for export.
The first important swing toward the Left appeared in the elec-
tions of 1918, when the Socialists were supported in their insistence that
funds should no longer be expended on futile military defense but rather
invested in social benefits. The trend toward socialism continued and from
1929 until the German invasion of 1940, power was in the hands of socialist
governments.
Because Danish resistance to German occupation prior to 1944 was
mainly passive, the Nazis interfered very little with the Danish government
or the essential economic system until August 1943, when the Germans were
weakening, and resistance was making itself felt in the form of strikes and
sabotage. The Gestapo then took over until the liberation; but in spite of
all this, the war probably affected Denmark less than any other occupied
country.
I-1
SECRET
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"ocrText": "SECRE\nSECTION I\nPOLITICAL SITUATION\n1. Genesis of the Present Political System\nDenmark, now a small and defenseless kingdom, claimed sovereignty\nin the tenth century over England, and until 1814 over Norway, Schleswig and\nHolstein, and Iceland. Norway gained her independence from Denmark in 1814\nafter the Napoleonic wars; Schleswig and Holstein became part of Prussia in\n1864; Iceland gained her independence in 1944; and the Faeroe Islanders are\nnow considering withdrawal from Danish sovereignty. Greenland, nominally\nowned by the Danes, became a US base during the war and would inevitably come\nunder great-power control in case of another conflict.\nUntil 1848, Denmark was an absolute monarchy, but ruinous financial\nconditions stemming from the Napoleonic wars (in which the Danish king had\nsupported Napoleon) brought about a strong movement to limit the king's\npower. In 1849, with the free consent of Frederick VII, a new constitution\nwas adopted which is basically the one in effect today. It was liberalized\nin 1915 to include universal suffrage (ending the privileged suffrage of\nwealth and aristocracy) and was slightly amended in 1920.\nDuring the latter half of the nineteenth century, despite the war\nin which Denmark lost the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein, political\nprogress was orderly, the Government generally alternating between the\nLiberals and Conservatives. It was during this period that the movements\nwere begun that eventually brought about Denmark's typical present institu-\ntions: farming by independent smallholders; the Danish Folk High Schools;\nintelligent cultivation of the land based upon agricultural education;\nfarmers' and consumers' cooperatives designed for group protection of\nindividual interests, and an economy based solidly on agricultural produc-\ntion for export.\nThe first important swing toward the Left appeared in the elec-\ntions of 1918, when the Socialists were supported in their insistence that\nfunds should no longer be expended on futile military defense but rather\ninvested in social benefits. The trend toward socialism continued and from\n1929 until the German invasion of 1940, power was in the hands of socialist\ngovernments.\nBecause Danish resistance to German occupation prior to 1944 was\nmainly passive, the Nazis interfered very little with the Danish government\nor the essential economic system until August 1943, when the Germans were\nweakening, and resistance was making itself felt in the form of strikes and\nsabotage. The Gestapo then took over until the liberation; but in spite of\nall this, the war probably affected Denmark less than any other occupied\ncountry.\nI-1\nSECRET"
}