Jens Otto Krag
Social Democrat, Reluctant politician, Danish Prime Minister 1962-1968 and then again 1971-1972, Artist.
Jens Otto Krag is one of the most important figures in the Scandinavian welfare model. He solidified relations with America and the UK, he led Denmark into the European Union and he expanded the role of the welfare state. It was his example that led Sweden and Norway into betting on the long-term value of social security, solidarity, care for mentally ill and families.
He came out of the post-war scene, and wrote some of the most influential Social Democratic books like "The Future of Denmark" and "The Young Man of the 30's". He was never content in his role as a politician, and tried to leave politics multiple times. His perception of politics was that it shouldn't be focused on individuals, but the servitude of the people. Never the less, he married the most famous actress in Denmark at the time, Helle Virkner.
Despite leading as Prime Minister of a coalition government, he was able to make sweeping acts and reform the ideas of the welfare state. Some of his monumental accomplishments were:
New Care of Children and Juveniles Act of May 1964. A program that provided families with a monetary benefit from the government still in place, called "Børne Checken" (The children's bank-check). At the time, many families had to seek help from the government because of the expenditures of raising many children at once. This program proved to fundamentally change the lives of families, and provide security for those wondering if they could afford to have children. It has proven to be very economically beneficial, as fewer have to go on unemployment and seek additional help from the government.
In 1964, a
supplementary pension scheme was established, together with
universal child allowances in 1967.
New criteria for schools and day-care facilities, stressing educational and social competences be passed down to the children. Furthermore, it was required by municipalities to provide day-care options for all children in the municipality. This program has helped prepare children for high school and college, and still does.
Employment Service and Unemployment Insurance Act of February 1967. Unemployment benefits were raised and indexed by the government. Despite being raised, the government saved money by not calculating each case individually, and waiting time was eliminated. This served as a "security net" and stress-relief for those working hard jobs, a trust that the government would take care of them through tough times. It is still in effect.
The Basic Education Act of April 1972. Raised the required level of education from 7 to 9 years, a requirement that still exists today. It proved to be an effective way of guaranteeing upward social mobility, and strengthened the Danish economy.
A law passed in June 1972 introduced a new scheme for daily cash benefits in cases of sickness and maternity.
The day after Denmark joined the European Union, he called a press meeting announcing his retirement from politics. He felt like his political mission had been accomplished when Denmark joined the European community. He retired to a small house in the country, and spent the rest of his life as an artist, mainly writing poetry and making surrealist paintings.