Why INVI?
In Denmark, we have two national anthems, which is quite telling. A song about the state with the king at the high mast and a song about the civil society that is so lovely. Our generation must create the difficult 'remix' of the two songs.
This is precisely what we are judged on by our children; whether we are able to tackle the wicked problems with sufficient musicality by mobilizing the many forces we have outside the state.
INVI is short for Institute for Wicked Problems, but it's also an invitation to all those working to solve wicked problems in practice.
"We adopt too much in too little time. Then we cram it into the systems and hope it works. It's its own bubble"
From tame to wicked
Those who work in politics themselves believe that we cannot continue down the path of the last 20 years of politics.
But are politicians and officials to blame? No, not necessarily. It's mainly about the fact that the problems have changed. We've gone from tame to wicked problems.
Looking back, Denmark has overtaken many countries in prosperity over the last 50 years. This is because we have been good at solving so-called tame problems. That is, problems that are limited, understandable and where there is a solution, such as the construction of road networks and schools or the introduction of rights to state pension and hospital treatment.
Cross-border and intractable
Today, however, we are left with the wicked problems. That is, cross-border and intractable problems that cannot be easily defined or solved by erecting a building or introducing a law. If we are to improve public health, get more hands in the labor market, help the socially disadvantaged, accelerate learning in primary and lower secondary schools, counteract young people's unhappiness or, on a larger scale, fix the climate crisis or boost productivity, it requires something completely different from us. And here, Denmark is far from impressive in its problem solving.
"Politicians are largely uninterested in the implementation of reforms - they keep an eye on the news in newspapers and TV, where there is not much about this either"
The Paradox of Modern Democracy
When faced with wicked problems, we often lose our breath. You go around in circles, trying solutions that worked in the past. You raise and lower tax rates or introduce benefits, rules, rights and regulations. If that doesn't help, you enlist the assistance of yet another commission, working group or expert committee emptied of the people who will implement the reform. And when the pace gets really fast and answers are required now and then, you end up with pseudo-politics, a glittering pamphlet or pot to hand out instead of tackling the mess.
So we are in the middle of the paradox of modern democracy.
Societal problems are getting even more wicked, while solutions are often tamer. But it doesn't have to be that way. Perhaps Denmark should instead aspire to be the leading problem solver of the 21st century's wicked problems - just like we were for dealing with the tame ones? And why not? With our strong collaborative democracy, we are well placed to succeed with the wicked problems. But it requires something else of us. We need to rethink the ways in which we create social change.
"Politicians adopt something quickly to be able to tick it off and say that we have fulfilled our promise, but that doesn't mean that it has moved anything for the citizens"