Looking back at the history of society, culture and institutions in Denmark can produce snapshots of the foundation of education and educational leadership. In some respects, the history of culture, society and education goes back at least 200 years. Educational theories, institutional structures and leadership practices can be framed as a quest for democracy, participation and knowledge, often based on the ideals of child-centred education and a school for all. School leadership was only a minor concern during this period. Post-World War II analyses of society and education can be characterised as a struggle between two dominant discourses: a democratic "Bildung" discourse and a competitive outcomes discourse. The former discourse was dominant until the mid-1990s, but over the subsequent 20-year period, the competitive outcomes discourse began to take centre stage. Societal, political and economic developments were the driving force behind this shift. School leadership requirements also changed towards a more technocratic, outcome-based and economy-focused management practice. [For the complete volume, "The Cultural and Social Foundations of Educational Leadership: An International Comparison. Educational Governance Research. Volume 16," see ED615841.]