Danish Capitalism in the 20th Century

This book outlines the origins of Danish Capitalism and prosperity, from a poor and devastated minor state in the 19th century to a consolidated universal mixed economy welfare state at the end of the 20th century. The book argues that firm-based innovation drove Danish prosperity and redistributive capacity. It is a comprehensive but manageable examination of the institutions and choices that shaped a highly innovative and wealthy nation. The book relies on history and economic theory, presents commonly accepted narratives and theories, and contributes new explanations. Therefore, the book also traces both antecedents and the current state of 20th-century capitalism in Denmark and particular outcomes and critical institutions such as firm age, the labor market, and pension schemes. The book will be of interest to academics in business history and economic policy, as well as policymakers and all those interested in mixed economy studies.

Author Biography

Dr. Stefan Kirkegaard Sløk-Madsen holds a Ph.D. in economics from Copenhagen Business School (CBS). He has been a visiting researcher at UBC Sauder School of Business and is an external lecturer at CBS and Aalborg University. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented his academic work at several international conferences. He has an industry background as a tech entrepreneur and in operational private equity and has consulted for many companies on issues such as M&A, pricing, and sales. He is currently Head of Education at the economic think tank CEPOS and hosts a popular podcast series on the history of economic thought, EconRoots.