Scandinavian Co-Operation in International Affairs

Abstract

UT HE five States commonly called the Northern countries of Europe -Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden-are often looked upon, from outside, as a collective entity. Within the international community the Northern peoples undoubtedly feel akin, and give the impression of being more or less a distinct family group. They may thus themselves be to blame if the result has sometimes been an oversimplified picture, standing in the way of a realistic appraisal of existing conditions in this region and of the numerous and important national distinctions actually found. Geographical proximity, common history, and cultural ties, including the similarity of tongues, have bound the Northern countries and their peoples together by firm bonds. The same democratic form of government and the great similarity in economic and social structure, where, to quote the Danish poet Grundtvig: 'Few have too much, fewer too little', have all tended to shape a common way of life as well as a largely common outlook on life. It should be kept in mind, however, that the Northern countries do not form a political or economic union of any sort. Nor do they constitute a bloc in the modern sense of this word. They remain five independent States, which on a regional basis try to solve common problems by mutual co-operation. It is true that in earlier times attempts have been made to unite the Northern countries, and political unions of varying duration were also established between two or more of the five. These unions were, however, mainly a result of dynastic power politics with little or no popular backing. During the first part of the last century the ideas of the so-called Scandinavian Movement met with response among university students and in literary circles at that time influenced by German romantic philosophy. The political reality behind this movement for greater Scandinavian unity was fear of Russian aggression against Sweden and of Prussian aggression against Denmark. The romantic Scandinavian ideology created by enthusiastic intellectuals had, however, no foundation in the world of realities and the movement collapsed when Denmark was left alone to withstand the Prussian attack in i864. These experiences and other lessons of history have developed among Northern peoples a rather sceptical attitude towards all unrealistic plans for Scandinavian unity. The same scepticism colours their reaction to the more ambitious plans for European Union. Rather than plunge into 285