Ode to Denmark

I was checking my blog stats tonight and noticed that the people of Denmark have been visiting my blog at an extraordinary rate for their population size. There are about as many people in the metro Atlanta area as in the entire nation of Denmark, yet they have more visitors to my blog than either France or the UK.

So tonight, I write you an Ode to Denmark.

As a result of having played Europa Universalis II for a long long long time during my college years (on the order of 300+ hours of play), I have been a fan of Denmark for some time.

Denmark represents.... potential.

They are a nation that you can pick up in a strategy game set any time between the Middle Ages and Napoleon, and have a decent chance of making yourself into a formidable power with good leadership. You control the Sund, that is great. Lots of revenue there. You have Norway under your thumb. And with proper planning and alliances, you can crush Sweden beneath your boot as well. Then you can work on building either the Baltic lake of Sweden's imperial dreams or you can look west to England/Britain. That player rarely puts stock in the danger posed by Denmark and as the only other formidable naval power in the northern seas you are in the best position to both take the British Isles AND hold it against encroachment from other powers. After all, they have no shortage of enemies. And if religion matters in your game, like it does in EU2, then they are good little Protestants to join your church.

Where many other nations are locked into their geographic niche and cannot escape it without extreme effort, Denmark is flexible and light on their feet. They can pursue a number of options; Baltic, German, British, or even Canadian if they so choose. They can align themselves with almost anyone they want.

Now after France starts to wane and Britain and Germany become unstoppable well.... then you are pretty much like the real Denmark. FUBAR.

However, even modern Danes can rest assured by the results of social science surveys that they are indeed the happiest people in the world. Unfortunately, it is supposedly because of their record-low aspirations in life. Which is ironic, considering what I just said about potential.

Oh well, I love you anyway Denmark.

/ode