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The Danish Social Liberal Party

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The Danish Social Liberal Party RadicalisM AND LIBERalisM IN DENMARK In May 2005, Det irst, a word about the lower chamber of the Dan- the party’s name: ish Parliament from the 1870s, Radikale Venstre – the Det Radikale Venstre. but the King had both a loyal Danish Social Liberal Literally translated, upper chamber (partly filled Party – celebrated it means ‘The Radi- with members appointed by Fcal Left’. That, however, sends himself) and the constitutional its one-hundredth the wrong signal, as we’re not right to appoint Prime Minis- talking about some loony left ters and governments of his own birthday. Throughout Trotskyite fringe party, but preference, which he continued the twentieth century instead about a social liberal cen- to do right up until 1901, when tre party which for a good deal the first Venstre government was and beyond, the of its history has led, participated allowed. party has played a in or cooperated with Danish Within Venstre, divisions governments. This confusing began as early as the 1870s and central role in Danish name originates from the great they quickly developed into political history, a political struggle of the last three more or less firmly-structured decades of the nineteenth cen- party factions. The main con- story well known tury between the power-hold- troversies were whether to to Danish readers, ing Højre (which means ‘right’) cooperate with or to oppose (by based on the King, the nobility, peaceful means) the reaction- but probably not to a the military, conservative civil ary government, whether to be servants, and – in short – all the understanding or critical towards British audience. Hence reactionary forces of the society conservative institutions like the this article, which is of the time. state church and the military, Opposing Højre was Venstre and whether to see the gradually intended to provide a (meaning ‘left’), which was a advancing Social Democrats as comprehensive insight broad and loose alliance of the potential friends or foes. To the opposition, mainly based on public and to many liberals, the into one of the Liberal farmers and smallholders (in a main ground for disagreement Democrats’ European country which was predomi- within Venstre was the defence nantly agricultural), but which question, i.e. whether the eco- sister parties. By also appealed to many other, nomic and political price for a Tomas Bech Madsen. more urban-based, groups. This militarily fortified Copenhagen opposition reached a majority in was worth paying. 20 Journal of Liberal History 56 Autumn 2007 RadicalisM AND LIBERalisM IN DENMARK The left wing of Venstre con- the leaders of the two parties Det Radikale 25 per cent of the vote. In the sisted mainly of a rather strange was very bad. Ideologically, Det Venstre leader first half of the twentieth cen- alliance of anti-conservative Radikale Venstre was more or less Margrethe tury, the Social Democrat share rural smallholders and urban equidistant between Venstre and Vestager of the vote grew substantially at professionals and intellectuals, the Social Democrats. each election). And so opportu- who were above all inspired by nity knocked for Det Radikale the French Radicals. These peo- Venstre, which formed a govern- ple favoured a radical approach The first, successful years of ment led by Carl Theodor Zahle towards a more thorough but Det Radikale Venstre and which included strong per- parliamentary-based break In the first years of its existence sonalities such as Finance Min- with the reactionary traditions. Det Radikale Venstre, holding an ister Brandes, Defence Minister Within Venstre, the radicals were average of around 15 per cent of Munch, Interior Minister Rode, bitterly opposed by a vehemently the vote, actually came to form and Foreign Minister Scavenius. anti-socialist and authoritarian a minority government twice. This government immediately right wing. Between these two The first one, in 1909–10, was embarked on a far-reaching was a large, more undecided short-lived and only came to reform programme, one of the group. power because of new internal main elements of which was In 1901 the King finally gave turmoil in Venstre. The second the new constitution passed in in to the people’s wish for a dem- Radical government, however, 1915, which included, among ocratically-elected government proved to be a long-lasting many other things, voting rights led by Venstre. In this govern- success. for women and the poor. This ment all three party factions par- The 1913 general election for constitution was irrefutably the ticipated, but tensions grew, and the Parliament’s lower chamber greatest progress for democracy in early 1905 this culminated in gave a majority for the Social in Denmark since the first semi- a bitter split resulting in the for- Democrats and Det Radikale democratic constitution in 1849. mation of two new parties. The Venstre, with the former as The government, of course, centre and right-wing factions the bigger party. At this time, was severely affected by the First together kept the old name and however, it was official Social World War. Denmark was for- formed the new Venstre (or Lib- Democrat policy not to enter tunate to escape direct involve- eral Party), while the left wing government before the party ment, not least because of the constituted Det Radikale Venstre had gained 50 per cent of the masterly diplomacy of the Radi- (or Social Liberal Party). In addi- vote (not as unrealistic a target cal Foreign Minister Scavenius, tion to the acrimony of the split, as it might seem today, when but the economy was seriously the personal chemistry between the party languishes at around affected. Until then subject to Journal of Liberal History 56 Autumn 2007 21 RadicalisM AND libERalisM IN DENMARK little regulation, the economy in which all inhabitants of Sch- The Social Democratic Prime Minister had to become much more rig- leswig could participate, forces Stauning and Radical Foreign idly controlled by the state in in the right-wing opposition Liberal Minister Munch. The Staun- order to prevent corruption and wished to annex substantial areas minority ing-Munch government turned over-pricing in securing food with a clear German majority. out to be the longest lasting in and other goods for the popula- The King supported the oppo- government the twentieth century, as it held tion. The efficient Interior Min- sition, and it all ended with the power for eleven years until the ister Rode played a significant dramatic ‘Easter crisis’ in 1920, managed German occupation of Denmark role in the successful implemen- when the King sacked the Radi- changed the status quo. tation of this state control. cal government led by Prime to run the During the 1930s the gov- The Social Liberal minor- Minister Zahle even though it country for ernment introduced many far- ity government managed to run still retained a majority in the reaching social reforms and the country for almost seven lower chamber of the Parlia- almost seven made many economic invest- years thanks to the high calibre ment. The Social Democrats ments to eradicate poverty, of its cabinet ministers and good called for a general strike in pro- years thanks reduce unemployment, and keep cooperation with the Social test, and many also called for the the country in safe democratic Democrats, who even joined the abdication of the King and the to the high hands in an internationally per- government with one ministe- establishment of a republic. calibre of its ilous era of Nazism, Fascism rial post from 1916. Det Radikale After some days of intense and Communism. These tactics Venstre achieved its best election negotiation, the crisis was cabinet min- worked, and the extremist par- result ever in April 1918, when solved with a promise from the ties of Denmark remained small the party gained no less than 20 King never again to go against isters and and uninfluential. It also helped per cent of the vote. a parliamentary majority, and an that the opposition parties Ven- The opposition consisted of agreement between the parties good coop- stre and the Conservatives stayed Venstre and the Conservative hold a quick general election. eration with on a wholly democratic course, party (the democratic heir of the This was won by Venstre and the unlike many other right-wing former power-holding Højre). Conservative party, and so Det the Social parties in Europe. There were some parliamentar- Radikale Venstre spent the years Foreign Minister Munch ian clashes between the centre- that followed in opposition. Democrats. continued the traditional sup- left government alliance and the port of Det Radikale Venstre for right-wing opposition during an international system based on the war, but on a civilised scale. A new role the rule of law, and he was there- Nobody wanted internal turmoil The May 1920 general election fore very active in the League of to descend into chaos or anarchy, was a disaster to the party, whose Nations. However, the failure as was the case in so many other share of the vote slumped from of the League and the grow- countries, especially from 1917. 20 to 12 per cent. From then ing threat from Nazi Germany But in 1919–20 circumstances on, the Social Democrats were meant that it was impossible for changed. clearly the bigger brother on the a small county like Denmark After the German capitula- centre-left. From this point on to adopt a conspicuous stance tion in November 1918 the pos- in Danish politics, Det Radikale against dictatorship. In inter- sibility emerged of reunification Venstre has had to cooperate with national power politics, many between Denmark and the Dan- one or more of the bigger parties Radical principles unfortunately ish-inhabited areas of Schleswig.
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