Still Living in the Shadow of 1864?:Danish Foreign Policy Doctrines and the Origins of Denmark’s Pragmatic Activism
Journal: Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen)
Year: 2014

The Danish defeat to Prussia in 1864 is typically regarded as the starting point for a reactive and pragmatic foreign policy, which was only replaced by foreign policy activism by the end of the Cold War. In contrast, this article argues that by reinterpreting Danish foreign policy practice in the light of Danish foreign policy thinking, i.e. the doctrines providing the principles for conducting foreign policy, pragmatism and activism may both be viewed as integral aspects of Danish foreign poli