"Here" is a hypothetical place where governance is poor, rule of law is not respected, and justice is often denied. Many, particularly the poor and the marginalised, suffer daily indignities, big and small, and live a life marked by fear and insecurity. "Denmark", on the other hand, is where good governance prevails and is reflected in predictable and accountable actions by others, including the State. The journey From Here to Denmark is essentially a quest of ensuring good governance. Improving governance needs good, strong institutions. Time, history, culture, leadership and yes, luck all have a role to play in this journey. But the experiences of several countries which have made this transition convincingly point to the overriding importance of human capital and an empowered citizenry who can actively participate in the affairs of their society in building strong institutions.

Rajat M. Nag is a Distinguished Fellow at the Emerging Markets Forum, Washington D.C. He is currently also a Distinguished Professor at the Emerging Markets Institute at the Beijing Normal University, Beijing and at the Advanced Study Institute Asia, Delhi. He was the Managing Director General of the Asian Development Bank during 2006-2013 and a Distinguished Fellow at the National Council of Applied Economic Research, India during 2014-2022. Harinder S. Kohli is the Founding Director and Chief Executive of Emerging Markets Forum, a global think tank based in Washington, D.C. He is also the Founding Editor of Global Journal of Emerging Markets Economies. Having served in various senior managerial positions at the World Bank, he is the author/co-author of 15 other books and a frequent speaker on development issues at international forums and universities.