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

Count Folke Bernadotte was the
head of the organization.
this development was the primary
aim of the authors of the Consti-
tuition. What they anticipated was
this, that popularity rule, with the
individual responsibility indissolu-
bly, associated with it, would pro-
mote a sef-raising movement, so
the old estates could become real
people. the subjects of absolutism
free citizens
In the centennial year of the
Constitution of June 5, 1S49, we
are happy to say that the hope of
the authors of the Constitution
was not belied Under the pres
sure of responsibility imposed by
democracy on all sections of the
nation. but also under the impress
sion of the pCtentialities which this
form of government gives to the
common man, the Danish people
during the past hundred years have
become politically active down to
their very roots - there perhaps
strongest of all This bloodless
rising-for the Constitution blazed
the path of evolution. not revolu-
tion-has in the first place meant
much to the individual Develop
ment of personality, since democ-
racy by its very nature evokeS
abilities which ether forms of gov
eminent like to repress. Next,
things have so developed in Den
mark under the free Constitution
that as one stratum OF society
after another has organized its
political and constitutionally Eb-
Grated forces thereby advancing
itself socially, the old barriers of
class have been broken down by a
political, economic. and cultural
process of levelling-out that vas
the result of democracy with us
so far perhaps more than in any
other democratic country. Workers
and farmers in Denmark today a
hundred years after 1S4e, have an
altogether different social status
than when the Constitution was in
troduced and not only because of
a general European trend but en-
phatically also as the result of
conscious policy effectuated by
these groups themselves. The eco
nomic and cultural levellingout of
the classes, even though much re
mains TO be done. is probably one
of the greatest results achieved
by Danish democracy during this
past century From Danish
point of view a development such
as this. bringing the various groups
of the community closer together,
constitutes an important part of
the countrys moral defence. That
the Germans failed during the oc-
cupation to split the Danish peo-
pie was partly due to the fact that
the social gaps in Denmark have
gradually become narrow. The
same fact explains why during re-
cent years our democracy has as
sumed more and more the charac-
ter of a cooperating form CT gov
eminent that is, cooperation
among political parties which
many circumstances of the day
have rendered desirable, and not
infrequently necessary.
In l949, the centennial year of
the June Constitution from which
the whole history Of the Danish
people in recent times derives, It is
my hope above all else that Den
mark may preserve her independ-
? enee. and in the coming century
2 as in the past, remains one of that
! great Scandinavian and Anglo-SaN-
ID on family of democratic commun-
T tiles which guarantee their citizens
2 the free forms ION of political
$ opinion, allowing the Will of the
, electorate which thereby arises TO
{ shape the future path Of progress.