After the 2nd World War, two different models of society developed in the Nordic and Baltic countries, which were divided by the Cold War: the Nordic welfare states under Social Democratic governments and the Baltic socialist republics under Soviet occupation. Industrial production was the economic foundation for the welfare states and the socialist countries. In spite of ideological and national differences through the two shores of the Baltic Sea went through radical industrialization and modernization process in post-war high-industrial age. The rational organization of the factory became a modern ideal that influenced not just industry, but also the public sector and people's daily lives in the east and west. Based on political, technological and aesthetic ideals, these seven sites not only "rational factories", but also "dream factories". The articles that are linked to from this site, are originally been prepared for the traveling exhibition on Industry and Modernism in the Baltic Sea Region 1945-1990.
[Google translation of original text in Danish]
http://www.arbejdermuseet.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&…