1973 : Denmarks political earthquake

[Euroman1981]

My country is a very small country, but an election in 1973 almost changed the cause of history of the country and possible Nothern Europe.

Since 1945 Denmark havde been ruled by large Danish Labour Party majority. (Meaning they had from 60 - 100 of 179 seats of the Folketing from 1945 - 1973). From 1945 to 1973 the danish state grew and so did the taxes, which effected both taxpayers and small business owners. Plus those decades saw the quantum leap of the property taxes in Denmark. By the time of the election of 1973 new parties had stepped onto the stage in Denmark. The first called The Progress Party lead by lawyer anti-big government crusader Mogens Glistrup. The other party Center-Demokrats lead by former M.P. Erhard Jacobsen. Glistrup want a flat tax on income and dismantle government bureaucracy and Jacobson wanted to lower income and property taxes. Those two became extremely popular and got almost 45 seats in parliament (Majority government needs 90 seats), but failed to form a government. But that they came close scared the establisment in Denmark very much.

That said as a Dane I can't help wonder what if those two had been successful?And turned Denmark on its head? Imagine Denmark turning into a carbon copy of Switcherland? And Denmark leaving NATO by lets say 1980? (Something Glistrup wanted). And a Denmark which like Switcherland never joined the EU ?

I wonder how this could effected Northern Europa? From 1973 and beyond?

 

[Lalli]

Would Denmark really leave NATO considering how close Commie nations are? But joining to EU might be at least delayed. But probably Denmark joins with Sweden and Finland or then any Nordic nation doesn't join. This might help make stronger Nordic Community after Cold War.

 

[ivanotter]

The big Nordic Union died a most undignified death. EU membership was claimed as the only way forward when UK also joined. The export of bacon and butter (the Lurpack variant) was simply too huge to give up on.

All of that said, a lot of sceptics were campaigning against EU membership. Just like in the UK.

Brexit is exactly that generation who campaigned in '73.

The alternative to EU membership in '73? hardly any.

The economic projections all pointed one thing: life would not be great outside.

.... but the sentiments were indeed compelling:
- German army (like the '40s) will come back
- We will be dictated to from Brussels
- no more independence
- and a lot more

Who can judge reality? The anti-EU block was also flirting with the anti-NATO. Not the same though, make no mistake there.

If the EU electoion in '73 had gone the other way (and UK being a member), the social democrats would have been out. The Glistrup 'wave' would have been much more dominant and could have forced a serious disconnet with NATO (sort of a French paticipation which was a bit ..... anyway).

It would mean that US would have looked at Denmark in a very different light.

Warsaw pact could have forced concessions in terms of warships in transit through the belts. Denmark would have had to declare neutrality but without the means to back it up (as Sweden had).

Danish foreign policy would have had to be re-aligned, but where to go? Europe would not be attractive, NATO would be out, Nordic Union dead.

So, the economy would start to get sick and it would really be felt in the beginning of '80's. Reagan would be busy with USSR and Maggie would be busy with Falklands. So, the big one's would have no time for Denmark.

Somewhat in the '90s Denmark will have another go at EU, but now EU has also changed dramatically. Eastern European countries are knocking on the door and Denmark is rather small compared to those.

doom and gloom really

 

[Addlcove]

Would Denmark really leave NATO considering how close Commie nations are?

Mogens Glistrup is on record as stating that the entire national budget for armed forces could be saved if we just put a tape recorder on Bornholm (the eastern most island, closest to Russia) connected to a Radio station that would start broadcasting "we surrender" in russian if the soviets ever attacked, since it would have about the same effect as having a military, minus all the unnecessary deaths of personnel.

the above is my paraphrasing since 1. He said it in Danish and 2. I cba finding the quote right now

 

[Bougnas]

Mogens Glistrup is on record as stating that the entire national budget for armed forces could be saved if we just put a tape recorder on Bornholm (the eastern most island, closest to Russia) connected to a Radio station that would start broadcasting "we surrender" in russian if the soviets ever attacked, since it would have about the same effect as having a military, minus all the unnecessary deaths of personnel.

the above is my paraphrasing since 1. He said it in Danish and 2. I cba finding the quote right now

What a friend said upon reading this: "How many roubles got deposited on his account?"

 

[Addlcove]

What a friend said upon reading this: "How many roubles got deposited on his account?"

I doubt any at all, Glistrup was a Socialist but not Communist. Even so it wasn't as if he was wrong, in '73 (or today for that matter) the danish army has no chance of resisting a russian invasion.

 

[Jürgen]

I doubt any at all, Glistrup was a Socialist but not Communist. Even so it wasn't as if he was wrong, in '73 (or today for that matter) the danish army has no chance of resisting a russian invasion.

No Glistrup wasn’t a socialist, he was a “libertarian“ provocateur. That comment shouldn’t be taken more serious than when he suggested to throw all Somalians in Denmark out of airplane with parachutes over Africa or suggested to sell all the Muslims to Paraguay. He said things to get in the media. He was pretty much a worse but more intelligent and coherent version of Donald Trump. He also had zero chance of gaining power in Denmark, because he was a populist provocateur, no one cared to cooperate with him, and it was only after he was thrown in prison for tax evasion and the Progress Party replaced him with Pia Kjærsgaard that the party began to be treated as more than a bunch of village idiots by the other parties. Of course this resulted in the party collapsing in hilarious ways, as the village idiots faction waged war against the Kjærsgaard (nationalist) and Jacobsen-Behnke (Conservative) factions.