It is suggested that the main impact of Sweden, Norway and Denmark upon Europe stems from their development into early welfare states with well-functioning political systems and social institutions. It is shown that their ways to this position were remarkably individual, and also that the seemingly identical Nordic states of this century have only to a rather limited extent been able to act in unity. The popular attitudes towards each other have been distinctly positive, but basically differing interests with regard to world politics and world economies have time and again made the politicians let raison d'état prevail.