Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1949-05-01

dom greater than was enjoyed by
any other country at that time.
From Dano-Norwegian absolutism,
in short, Norway passed directly
to a free democracy.
This both early and abrupt ad-
vance probably largely explains
why, while Parliamentarism first
became a tradition of government
in Denmark in 1901, and in Sweden
even as late as 1917, in Norway it
dates back to 1884. One particu-
larly Scandinavian feature in Den
mark and in Norway and Sweden
is that the spirit of a freedom-lov-
ing peasant class was decisive
factor in the evolution towards the
democratic constitutions and con-
stitutional traditions of Cur time.
For whereas the peasantry of most
countries about the middle of last
century remained an inert mass
not always capable of asserting it
self politically, the common people
of Scandinavia were already being
admitted to public life. In Scan
dinavia the great body of ordinary
electors really succeeded in filling
out the constitutional framework;
and the Danish Constitution there
fore gained far greater stability
than some other constitutions
which saw the light of day around
the great year 1848. This is
thing worth noting because it says
a good deal about the character
istics of the Scandinavian peoples.
especially that cool, mature aspira
ton towards freedom that has typ
flied the Scandinavians and has
gone right down to the roots of
the old peasantry
have particularly desired to see
1848-49 in Scandinavian perspee-
tive. There are still other reasons
besides the ones already mentioned.
With the Constitution of June 5,
1S49, Denmark, as l have said,
took the path to democracy which
Norway and Sweden were already
treading, The value of the Con
stitution itself, its Importance to
the freedom and development of
the Danish people, is what we
Danes, in this centenary year, will
naturally remember and celebrate
first of all. But we should also
recall that this democracy which
practically from 1849 disregard
ing details) became the common
property of the Scandinavian
countries, has meant great deal
to their cultural approach one to
another. l have in mind not only
certain legal aspects of legislation
which have been the subject OF
joint preparatory discussion and
are now assuming markedly COM
mon features in the three coun-
tries. l have at least as much in
mind the fact that democracy it
self, by it's nature. permits the
various sections of the nation to
advance to political power. His
torically this has meant that at
about the same time the same po-
litical party has held office in each
of the Scandinavian countries, OF
that at least there has existed an
/ intimate connection between close
ly related and influential parties
! in the different countries. The
foreign political consequences OF
/ this are obvious, and we may not
yet have seen the last results OF
this common Scandinavian evolu-
ton whose prerequisite undoubted-
/ ly was the acquisition by Denmark
of its Constitution of June 5, 1S49
! On the first Constitutional Day
| however, we not only moved closer
to the rest of Scandinavia, but also
to the Anglo-SaXon democracies
whose outlook on life and valua'
/ ton of man we in all essentials
share. At the same time there was
an increase politically in the dis
tance from the Russian of the
Cars and that Kaiser Germany
which arose after 1S70-both with
systems of government differing
essentially from the Danish, &c
which these two Powers felt them
selves to be alien. even hostile
Thus a fact not lnfrequently
overlooked-the century-old Con
stitution has exerted an appreci'
able influence on Denmark's rela