Scavenius belonged to a tradition of elite governance that distrusted democratically elected politicians at a time when they were gaining power and influence.

His policy of accommodation and compromise toward the Nazi occupation authorities in Denmark during the Second World War is one of the enduring controversies of Danish history.

The appointment of the 32-year-old head of section Scavenius as minister of foreign affairs in the Radical Left Social Liberal cabinet Danish: Det Radikale Venstre (1909–1910) came as a surprise.

During World War I, he strongly put his efforts into the continuation of "the German course", a policy of keeping Denmark out of conflict with its neighbouring great power through adaptation.

Scavenius was concerned that emotional public opinion would destabilise his attempts to build a compromise between Danish sovereignty and the realities of occupation.

Scavenius was politically isolated after 1945, but the parliamentary commission on misconduct during the Occupation did not find reason to impeach him for the High Court of the Realm for maladministration of office in its report in 1955.

For example, on the 60th anniversary of the 29 August dissolution of government, prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen chastised his predecessor for his stance, saying that it was naive and morally unacceptable.

[3] Bertel Haarder, then a minister in the Rasmussen government, rebutted Lidegaard's theory in 2005, calling it revisionist and arguing that Scavenius carried out an unnecessarily pro-German policy, which was unpopular, dishonourable, and unjustifiable long-term, as he thought that Germany was likely to win the war.

The medallion was due to be presented to him by Eleanor Roosevelt at a ceremony in the United States later that year, but his poor health made Scavenius cancel his appearance.