$Unique_ID{COW02686} $Pretitle{436} $Title{Norway Norway at the Top of Europe} $Subtitle{} $Author{Norway Information Service} $Affiliation{Norway Information Service, New York} $Subject{norway norwegian norway's new norwegians world government system welfare social} $Date{1990} $Log{Mountain Crossing*0268602.scf } Country: Norway Book: Norway at the Top of Europe Author: Norway Information Service Affiliation: Norway Information Service, New York Date: 1990 Norway at the Top of Europe Come join us in Norway Land of the midnight sun and glacier-born fjords ... beautiful valleys nestled in mountains thick with pine ... rustic stave churches and traditional dances stepped to the folk airs of a fiddler: These enduring images spring from the rugged natural environment and proud history of old Norway. But there is a modern Norway, too. Come explore a nation technologically advanced, rich in petroleum and hydro-electric energy, a dynamic new world of cultural and economic growth. Here an exciting social experiment unfolds, supported by a strong capitalistic base and tempered with a humane effort to guarantee well-being for all. In today's Norway find the best of the past preserved in harmony with a forward-looking society. This booklet, written for North American readers in answer to their most commonly-asked questions, offers a brief introduction to Norway now. We hope this overview will add to the enjoyment of our very special corner of the world. The Norwegian Information Service in the United States. New York. Norway now [See Mountain Crossing: Roadway opened May/June. Courtesy Norway Information Service, New York.] At the Top of Europe The Norwegian mainland, situated at the top of Europe, on the Scandinavian peninsula, is a landmass larger than the area of New Mexico. To the east, Norway shares borders with Sweden, Finland and the Soviet Union; to the West she faces the Norwegian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Oslo (pop. 450,000), the capital, is as far north as Anchorage, Alaska. The city of Hammerfest, the northernmost city in the world, lines up latitudinally with Point Barrow at the top of Alaska. The country itself is very long, extending a distance equal to that between Minneapolis and Miami. While half of Norway lies north of the Arctic Circle at a latitude permanently frozen elsewhere in the world, the entire country enjoys a temperate climate thanks to the Gulf stream. This strong ocean current rising in the Gulf of Mexico pours some 150 million cubic feet of warm Caribbean water per second into the seas surrounding Norway. The Gulf stream keeps Norwegian harbors open for shipping all year and maintains winter temperatures more like New England than Alaska. In Oslo, for example, temperatures in January average 25 F. while summers range in the 60's and 70's, with occasional highs in the 80's. Above the Arctic Circle Norway enjoys midnight sun throughout the summer, as the sun shines night and day. With an average of nearly 24 acres per capita, Norway is one of the most sparsely settled countries in Europe. The population is slightly over four million, about equal to that of Chicago. A high degree of political and social stability characterizes the country. In general Norwegians share a community of thought and action reflecting their common history and traditions. Over 90% of the population share evangelical-Lutheran affiliations. More than 20,000 Samis live in Norway, mostly in the far north. As an indigenous people they have much in common with American Indians, particularly regarding past degradation of their language and cultural traditions. The Samis are now working actively with the government to establish greater representation and new cultural institutions through which they may better express their views. Fewer than 10% of the Samis now breed reindeer, their traditional economic activity. The first Vikings who sailed across the Atlantic probably didn't even go ashore, but Leif Ericson, upon his arrival around the year 1,000, initiated the settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada. Some houses constructed by the Vikings have been restored as historic land-marks, the only evidence left of the first European settlers in North America. Little is known about the fate of these settlers, but they probably chose to return home after conflicts arose with the natives. A Coastal Nation Like the land itself, much of Norway's history has been shaped by the sea. As early as the 9th century, the Norwegian Vikings sailed their elegant long ships across the Atlantic to what is now known as the North American continent. Their efforts to explore unknown lands opened commercial and cultural opportunities for all of northern Europe. Since then, countless Norwegians have reaped a living from the ocean. From traditional fishing to modern fish-farming, in shipping and most recently through the discovery of oil in the North Sea, the ocean supports much of Norway's industrial growth. Most Norwegian communities are located along the coast or surround major fjords, majestic waterways extending into the countryside. The Norwegian coastline, not counting fjords, stretches some 1,700 miles, equivalent to the length of the East coast of the United States. About half the area of Norway is mountainous; more than a quarter of it is forested; only three percent is farmable land. Rich in Human and Natural Resources Before 1900, most people lived directly off the land's natural resources through hunting, fishing, farming and forestry. In spite of rich fishing and lumbering sources, it has never been easy to wrench a living from an unyielding natural world in Norway. Fortunately, poor farm conditions were, particularly in the coastal regions, partly compensated for by huge schools of fish as a staple food source. Industrialization came late, and only last century Norway was among the poorest nations in Europe. In 1800 merely five percent of the population held industrial jobs. Today, Norway is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, mainly due to enormous energy resources and a highly skilled labor force. Norway's combination of large-scale private industry and a modern welfare state represents an effort to combine the demands of present-day industrial society with the traditional values of welfare and social equality. Post-war government administrations have pursued industrial policies to promote the goals of production and welfare while maintaining national control of natural resources. Like other Scandinavian countries, Norway has always maintained some degree of government engagement in key industries. Yet there is reliance on competitive markets to advance economic progress. While energy and a few other industries are publicly controlled, private enterprise thrives in Norway. Major Exports Norway exports nearly fifty percent of the national product. Some consumer products are certainly well-known in the U.S.: Norwegian furniture, sardines, beer, thin crispbread and Jarlsberg cheese are widely found in supermarkets. Fish and fish products dominate among Norway's major traditional exports. The annual catch is fifth largest in the world. Fish farming, a new industry, has experienced astonishing growth. Farmed salmon now exceeds traditional exports like metals as the number one product exported to the United States. Oil and gas accounted for 22% of all export earnings in 1988 and about 8% of the gross national product. In 1985, before the fall in oil prices, the figures were 36% and 19%, respectively. Foreign oil companies participate actively in Norwegian oil activities. They cooperate with the three Norwegian oil companies, Statoil, Norsk Hydro and Saga Petroleum. Statoil, which is state-owned, usually receives at least 50% of the licenses allocated for petroleum-related activities in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Shipping is Norway's second most important export industry, generating some 20 percent of Norway's export value. A number of Norwegian cruise ships are sailing out of Miami and other American ports. A Norwegian International Ship Registry has recently been established. Tourism ranks as an important service exported by Norway. Some 200,000 Americans number among the more than 4 million tourists who visit Norway every year, and they meet a friendly, English-speaking people who warmly welcome Americans. Important Products Water power resources abound in Norway, the profitable result of human ingenuity applied to local climate and topography. Numerous mountain lakes and rivers, dammed up and linked by underground tunnels, form huge reservoirs. The hydro-electric power generated feeds a thriving energy-intensive economic sector. Hi-tech industry reflects Norway's high level of education and scientific openness to new technology, especially from the United States. This sector has mushroomed recently, with many new developments related to the sea, including underwater technology and wave-driven electrical power stations. Glimpses of History A Nation both New and Old Politically, Norway is both an old and a new nation. The Norwegian kingdom, established in the ninth century, maintained a separate monarchy until the 14th century, when she united with Denmark. The union with Denmark lasted 400 years and diminished Norwegian national identity. It ended in 1814 when Norway was virtually given to Sweden by the European powers after the Danish king sided with the French in the Napoleonic wars. At this critical turning point in Norwegian history, its people insisted on their right to self-determination. Delegates were elected to a constituent assembly at Eidsvoll, north of Oslo. Some members arrived at the organizational meeting with private drafts drawn from the constitutions of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. On May 17, 1814, the assembly adopted a Constitution for a free, independent and democratically ruled Norway. Today, the United States and Norwegian constitutions are the two oldest still in use. Much like the Fourth of July, May 17th is celebrated as national holiday and is observed in Norwegian-American communities across the United States as well. Over the years, close to a million Norwegians emigrated to the U.S. In the decades before 1900, only Ireland sent a higher percentage. While economic, and sometimes political and religious, factors impelled Norwegians across the Atlantic, the attraction of America as the promised land was equally strong. Soon, through the letters and visits of emigrants, American influence swayed Norway in the form of money, machinery, new ideas and experiences. And nearly one in every four emigrants eventually returned to settle again at home. The union established between Sweden and Norway in 1814 was dissolved by referendum in 1905 when Norway elected to retain the limited monarchy. The people chose Danish Prince Carl as the King of Norway. He took the name Haakon VII when he ascended the throne. From World War II to NATO Norway had been a sovereign nation for only 35 years when attacked by Germany on April 9, 1940. As a nation emphasizing peaceful ways to solve international conflicts. Norway had no strong military tradition. She was unprepared for war, yet unwilling to surrender. A Norwegian government in exile was established in London, and resistance at home hampered German efforts to exploit Norwegian resources. The King played an important role as a national symbol for unity during the war. His clear "no" to the occupying Germans gave immense moral support to the active Norwegian resistance during the war. By the war's end in 1945, the saying was, "never again." Norway's independence security and prosperity could be maintained only in cooperation with the allied powers, which included the Soviet Union at that time. Through the years of 1945-46, Norwegians debated a "third way" between choosing pre-war neutralism or Western alignment, but after Soviet demands for a treaty of mutual assistance with Finland and the crisis in Czechoslovakia, Norway became a founding member of NATO in 1949. Over the ensuing decades, the U.S.A. has become Norway's main partner in military security. And although Norway imposes internal restrictions such as a peace-time ban on foreign bases and nuclear weapons on Norwegian soil, she staunchly supports the NATO alliance. Politics and Government The Constitution Under its constitution Norway is a monarchy with a king as head of state. His power is more formal than real, but the king may play a political role in times of crisis. The Storting, or national assembly, is the core of Norwegian constitutional and political life. Its members are elected every four years as representatives of political parties. Norway has a parliamentary form of government, with the cabinet being dismissed once it loses the confidence of the majority of parliament. An array of political parties in Norway contrasts with the two-party system of the United States. The Labor Party has been Norway's largest party since 1927. It held the majority without interruption from 1935 to 1963, except for the war years, helping to lead the rebuilding of Norway after the war. Since 1963, cabinet leadership has shifted between the Labor Party and a coalition of non-socialist parties. However, all parties in Norway support the welfare society concept and basically agree on foreign policy. The central government of Norway delegated some powers to local and regional authorities, in contrast to the United States, where a union of states delegated some powers to the federal level. In Norway, the most important decisions are made on the national level, although the nation's 450 principal municipalities are gaining increasing control over local affairs. Trade unions are traditionally strong in Norway. They strongly represent their less-skilled members, and workers re often unified along the lines of trade affiliations. Political interests in Norway are frequently voiced through organization mouthpieces, some of which are non-partisan, such as the farmers' and fishermen's union. People in Norway generally feel that they are served by a representative government. They believe there is basic agreement and a shared agenda between the people and their representatives. The government is widely trusted. Most Norwegians feel that decisions are made for the common good and that they are governed well. In less than a century, Norway has expanded from a poor and underdeveloped country to one of the richest nations in the world. Today, descendants of Norwegians who emigrated may wonder why their ancestors left. In fact, a fractionally larger number of Americans now emigrate to Norway than vice versa. Norway's modern fusion of social welfare with traditional culture, her dramatic technological development in a glorious natural setting, appear to attract more and more Americans. Utopia Achieved? In 1984 Richard Estes of the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work published the results of his nine-year analysis of social progress in 107 countries. While the results of such studies may be debated, this one suggests positive features of the Scandinavian quest for an ideal society. While not necessarily the utopia described by Estes, Scandinavia appears both adventurous and altruistic in introducing new social measures, acting as a social testing-ground while applying egalitarian values to the development of a social welfare system. A Caring Society One striking difference between the United States and Scandinavia relates to social systems and the welfare society. The Scandinavian social security system has been both admired and criticized by Americans. Certainly, it represents alternatives to the American way. As a basic premise, Norwegians in difficult social and economic situations are legally entitled to assistance. The welfare system - what Americans might perceive as a charitable safety net to catch the neediest members of society - Norway views almost as a civil right. In Norway, the right to be cared for in need is not entirely different from the right to vote or to own property. The modern welfare system evolved to meet demands for a more equitable distribution of community resources and an egalitarian society. The welfare system attempts to give people equal access to such basic necessities as a place to live, and work, education and health care, and to correct economic injustice by allocating money when needed (for example, through a guaranteed minimum wage). Under this rationale, one cannot meaningfully talk about freedom and equal opportunity for the citizens until such a basis is provided for the citizen. Norwegians pursue a university education with completely free tuition. All students have the right to reasonable state loans covering living expenses during their studies. Many receive scholarships from the government. This makes students economically independent of their parents, and it makes education available to everyone. The distinguishing feature of Scandinavian social security systems, in contrast to the U.S., is direct government dispensation of important services at little or no cost to those provided for. The result is a more equalized distribution with less dependence on private charity, fewer personal biases and less regional inequity. In other words, all Norwegian citizens can depend on their government to provide the basic necessities of life. Since WWII, broad agreement exists on the development of the welfare system in Norway. This emphasis on equality has strong historic roots. While most of Europe labored under a feudal system in the Medieval Age, Norway maintained a system of largely independent farmers. That democratic tradition lives on today in the major Norwegian political parties, which all offer equality as a cornerstone of their platforms. This egalitarian tradition also guides Norway's foreign policy for developing countries. Norway provides the highest official development assistance per capita in the Western world (U.S. provides $41, Sweden $129, Denmark $136 and Norway $194). Criticism of the Welfare System All the major political parties in Norway support the concepts behind the welfare system. But there is ongoing discussion of how best to organize the system. This debate reflects the fact that a declining work force must pay for a growing number of retired and young people, increasing the per capita cost. Some critics have claimed the welfare system undermines the initiative of its citizens. Others question the system's efficiency in serving the full range of social needs. And the partial divorce of income from success in producing goods is sometimes accused of reducing competition and growth in the market place. Nevertheless, there is no disagreement that the modern Scandinavian political system has innovatively managed to accomplish the goals of freedom from want and greater equality for all, while promoting economic expansion. This success suggests that Norway and the rest of Scandinavia will weather the turbulence of what some call a crisis in the welfare society. The institution of ombudsman extends protection of citizens' rights. Appointed by Parliament, the Civil Ombudsman ensures that the executive branch does not abuse its powers in dealing with the public. Ombudsmen play similar roles protecting equal rights of the sexes, consumers interests and protecting the rights of the members of the armed services. In 1981 the Norwegian government was the first to appoint an ombudsman solely to deal with unjust treatment of children. This original Scandinavian concept of ombudsman has been copied in the United States and around the world. Equality of the Sexes in Norway Few countries equal Norway in the visibility of women in its cultural and political life. A glance at any major newspaper reveals a substantial number of female journalists, and women are frequently quoted as consultants and spokespersons on all kinds of issues. Upon her appointment in 1986 as Norway's prime minister, Ms. Gro Harlem Brundtland chose 8 woman ministers out of an 18-member cabinet, an unprecedented percentage of female representation anywhere on earth. When a coalition government was formed following parliamentary elections in 1989 the new prime minister, Mr. Jan P. Syse, maintained this high female representation by choosing 8 women ministers for his 19-member-cabinet. In the wake of the Equal Status Act (1978) most of Norway's political parties have, formally or informally, established quotas of women for commissions and posts. Since 1981, Norwegian law automatically gives the mother's last name to babies whose parents have different last names, unless the parents decide otherwise. Norwegian women continue to demand improved rights, equal pay, equal work, equal representation in decision-making processes, a six-hour working day, extended parental leave, and child care facilities among other issues. Debate of these issues has created a high awareness and general acceptance of many of the goals previously advocated only by supporters of the women's movement. Free Time Leisure plays an essential role in Norwegian life. While work is important, it is seldom all-consuming. By law Norwegian employees are entitled to at least four weeks of paid vacation each year and those over the age of 60 earn an additional week. The continuous effort to reduce work hours and the work week reflects the Norwegian sense of priorities. Typically, when asked what they prefer doing, rather than emphasizing work, Norwegians might say building a cabin or pursuing a hobby or sport. The recreational use of nature is especially popular in Norway. In winter Norwegians head for the mountains and forests to go cross-country skiing. At Easter they literally empty their cities for visits to mountain cabins. One third of the population owns or shares ownership of a vacation home. Stores frequently close for 10 days over Easter because either the customers or owners themselves are off skiing. In summer the fjords are full of sailboats, wind-surfers and motorboats. People gather along the shores of every fjord, lake and island to swim, sunbathe and relax. The forests and mountains teem with hikers, campers and berry-pickers. This passion for outdoor life is part of Norwegians' special character. Norway's long exploring tradition led to Roald Amundsen's conquest of the South Pole and Fridtjof Nansen's dedicated scientific work in the Arctic. It inspired the adventures of Thor Heyerdahl, and those of Monica Kristensen as recently as 1987 when she attempted to become the first woman to reach the South Pole by land. The entire nation has a strong interest in sports and outdoor life. No other country has produced a larger percentage of active skiers and mountain hikers. Sports Soccer and skiing are Norway's two most popular sports. Skiing offers Norwegians world-class competitors, mass participation and keen spectator interest. Soccer association leagues, found in all regions of Norway, supply teams for every age group at every level of competition. The Norway Cup, an international competition for young players, is the world's largest soccer cup. In 1987 the national women's soccer team became European champions. In skiing, the craftsmanship and patient effort required by cross country skiing still attracts most Norwegians, but downhill skiing is gaining ground, particularly among the younger generation. Norwegian women have dominated the world cross country skiing scene since the early 1980s. Norway held the Olympic Winter Games in 1952 and has been chosen to host the Games again in 1994. Norwegian Lifestyle Norwegians believe that talent flourishes in an atmosphere of mass participation, so group sports activities are encouraged. Most sport club members do not aspire to become top athletes; they simply play for the fellowship and exercise. Competition is emphasized less than meeting the challenge of time and nature. In Norway, there appears to be a cultural unwillingness to create direct losers compared to America, where everybody seems to love a winner. School sports are rarity in Norway. While school teams exist, they are not considered important for school spirit or athletic performance. Students from grade school through college are encouraged to join community sports clubs where they may develop their athletic abilities and, if talented, gain public recognition. Eligibility to compete is independent of school grades, or whether one even attends school. In the same spirit of participation for all, Norway has pioneered in encouraging handicapped people to engage in sports. There are more than a hundred sports clubs for the handicapped throughout the country. Folklore Norwegians take great interest in their traditional culture, crafts, folklore and folk music rooted in regional customs. For example, the regional custom of wearing authentic costumes, the bunad, is popular. Today, as in the past, almost every valley or province claims its own costume, proudly worn by locals at celebrations honoring their history and regional roots. Recently, the increasing number of immigrants to Norway has influenced cultural life. In downtown Oslo, Karl Johan Street becomes a multi-cultural street fair during the summer months, transforming Norway's traditionally homogenous atmosphere into an exciting international event. Norway claims several world-famous artists among her citizens, including the painter Edvard Munch, the author Henrik Ibsen, the composer Edvard Grieg, the violinist Ole Bull, the singer Kirsten Flagstad and the actress Liv Ullman. While Norwegian egalitarian values foster mass participation as much as they emphasize individual excellence, a system of financial support encourages literature and the arts by giving artists the freedom to concentrate on their work. Music Norwegians are proud of Edvard Grieg, but they are equally proud of their own musical ability. One in every six Norwegians plays a musical instrument, one in four among those aged 16-24. Almost every grade school has a marching band, and 80 Norwegian communities have their own symphony orchestras. The national tradition cultivated by Grieg still flourishes in Norwegian music today. Its most important representative is Harald Saeverud, widely regarded as an important and distinctive contemporary composer. Klaus Egge, another composer rooted in the national-romantic tradition, inspired Martha Graham to choreograph a ballet for his second piano concerto in 1986. Reaction against the folk preoccupations of Norwegian composers emerged in the 1950s when a new generation turned to serialism and other modern techniques. Among these composers, Arne Nordheim is well known in the U.S. His work, The Tempest, features in the Norwegian Ballet Company repertory as a ballet which has played to U.S. audiences. Today Norwegian musicians perform increasingly in the U.S. The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra is internationally recognized, and on the pop scene, the rock group A-ha is known for their innovative music videos and the title song of the James Bond movie, "Living Daylights." Norwegian Cultural Life Visual Arts Norwegian painting enjoyed a Golden Age in the 1880s and produced many of Norway's best-known artists in one generation. Edvard Munch, considered to be Norway's greatest painter, was influential in the expressionistic movement throughout Europe. Norwegian painting since World War II tends toward the abstract, and artists in the movement have made their mark on art history, among them Jakob Weidemann, whose non-figurative works convey a strong sense of Norwegian nature. Norway's best-known sculptor is Gustav Vigeland. His works, which fill an entire city park in Oslo, exemplify government support of the arts. Once funded, Vigeland was free to design the park as he chose. The park is impressive in its immensity and its expression of great energy. Recent Norwegian sculptors have produced their share of abstract and non-figurative work. Arnold Haukeland, breakthrough modernist Norwegian sculptor of the 1960s, reflects the technological age in works such as his stainless steel composition, Air, on view at the University of Oslo campus at Blindern. Tapestry has been important in Norwegian art ever since the Middle Ages. Today, tapestries by Jan Groth hang in leading museums around the world. His 1986 solo exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York introduced him to a large American audience. Literature Norwegian literary traditions date back to the sagas of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries: old poems, legends, family histories and annals of the nation. Norwegians are among the most active readers in the world, and well-known authors enjoy celebrity status in Norway. The 19th century playwright Henrik Ibsen, whose dramas often shook his contemporaries, celebrated individualism and opposed the narrowly Victorian aspects of Norwegian culture. His provocative drama "Ghosts" was first rejected in Norway for its controversial content. It premiered in Chicago in 1882. In the 20th century, three Norwegian writers have won the Nobel Prize for literature: Bjornstjerne Bjornson, Sigrid Undset and Knut Hamsun. Modern Norwegian prose ranges from intensely subjective surrealist fiction to objective documentary works. Traditionalism vs modernity Norway never has become heavily urbanized, and a strong political desire to retain rural life as a viable option has produced programs to enhance local economies. This policy not only maintains that Norwegians should have the right to continue living where they prefer, it also stresses that the nation will benefit from the resulting cultural exchange between urban, rural and coastal settlements. Among the Scandinavian countries, Norway and Iceland are probably the most protective of their own culture and traditional values. During a heated debate in 1972 concerning Norway's participation in the European Economic Community (EEC), some argued that membership would undermine the traditional lifestyle of close-knit agricultural and fishing communities. Membership was defeated in the referendum. Similarly, fears have been expressed that Norway's oil riches, the "black gold" of the North Sea, could inflate the economy and destroy long-established, small-scale industries unable to compete for skilled labor, thus debasing the simple, non-materialistic values of rural life. Predominant opinion calls for the new riches to help keep unemployment low, to assist developing countries and to improve quality of life, rather than provide more direct material progress. This debate demonstrates both Norway's emphasis on protecting the old traditional lifestyle and its values, and the contrasting need to participate actively in the international community. While in the 1970s the stress was on traditionalism, the 80s viewpoint leaned more towards modernity. The 1990s poses great new challenges and opportunities to the world community. Norway will take an active part, both on the regional and global level, in meeting these challenges and opportunities.