Finally I got my Bachelor Degree of Circumpolar Studies last year in December 2013:) I was so gald and proud of myself. The paper can be something inspire my daughter to continue her education. I have not much to say, but this is my own writing that concern to Norwegian Society quite much. So I would love to copy paste in my blog here.
Egalitarian
individualism is according to Marianne Gullestad something that
characterize Norwegians. Most of us see it as a task for politicians
to secure that the differences between peoples economic resources
will not be too large. What options do the politicians have to reduce
economic differences? Why do we think that it is bad for society if
the economic differences are very big?
Egalitarian individualism characterize Norwegians
According to Marianne Gullestad, "Modern Western civilization has been characterized by individualism." (p183) However, Norway is different from some general of Western themes. For example: the Norwegian definition of "equality" is a implicit of a considerable emphasis on being and doing the same whereas "equality" in USA means equal opportunity.
By studying a set of the ideas about some of the central characteristics of Norwegian culture, it has been described as highly individualistic. The notion of individualism may be negative like egotism or positive like independence. In the view of Norwegian, of course "independence" is the key notion of Norwegian individualism. As Norway is the Scandinavian welfare state and is well known for strong collective values. Therefore the interest of individualistic in Norwegian version is always based on social relations or society.
By studying the notion of equality; equal value, equal right and equal status/genders is useful to approach the Norwegians' egalitarian individualism. Norway emphasizes similarity in the process of social life as well as similar result. In the Norwegian "differences " means unwanted hierarchy and injustice. To express a break up friendship by saying "We are too different." or withdraw the relationship because of differences are too great. Meanwhile, "sameness" and "peace and quiet" are central values to Norwegian, modest is a virtue and not too much self-assertion, avoidance of conflict is a strategy to gain back a established sameness later. Ideologically, people have to be similar in order to feel equal.
Something that characterize Norwegians
The different in form of life and lifestyle can influence social process in Norwegian characters or something that characterize Norwegians found.:
Social identity: Most Norwegians want to be seen as "decent persons" in the condition of social environment. A way of life is usually connected to identity and feelings of self-respect. This view of
social identity is based on their self-evaluation to others and their own behaviour.
Ways of life: In Norway, there are significantly different forms of life. As ways of life are related to education, social class, and financial position including to religious orientation, rural or urban background. The different forms of life are obviously related to economic class and to social hierarchies. There are relatively large differences between the various groups in the form of social contact. There are two concepts so-called, distancing and territoriality pattern. Living in the city or in a rapidly changing rural community, each person need to deal with new people groups with varied background and different experience in more unstable and unsure situations. The distancing pattern becomes more applicable as new attitudes and new culture as symbolic form.
Part - or Subcultural Formulations of Categories and Rules: A varied set of concepts for describing other people are associated with distancing as a symbolic form. Different form of interaction imply different informal rules. In Norway, a lot of communication is implicit, to know the code is necessary for understanding the expectations from such these indirectly expressions, establishment developing social contact. The implicit character requires a certain degree of homogeneity and stability. This is one of the reason to explain why many Norwegians think about "fit in with" other people and "fit in with each other" are persons with similar expectations and similar rules.
Signs: The signs are part of the mode of living which are given a special symbolic value. For example: lifestyle is the communicative aspects of a way of life, an expression of identity, an important in social life. The social life becomes a set of lifestyle and be confirmed and recognized as social identities by creativity through the clothes, home furnishings, food and holidays which may be given a high symbolic value. This is the sign use via lifestyle similar to post modernism in aesthetics or "style quotations" in art.
Overarching cultural categories: Norwegians know and understand their culture sometimes without ability to explain in a certain ways like most people in the world do. Norwegian are busy with their home and their culture can be described as "home-centeredness" The idea of Norwegian home illustrates "peace and quiet", stability, wholeness, closeness, security, self-sufficiency, independence, self-control, and equality defined as sameness as central cultural categories in Norway.
Task for politicians: Secure the difference between people economic resource will be too large:
As egalitarian individualism, Norwegian characteristic, all people should be treated as equals and have the same political, economic and social rights. Advocating the removal of economic inequalities among people by politicians is essentially. Traditionally, Norway exported two major goods, fish and timber, the resources found available on the Norwegian coastline and in their forests. In 19th century, shipping sector was developed, the fish timber and shipping are three keys of Norwegian economy structure. In 20th century, heavy industries were week, but shipping sector adjusted itself and remained a main sector of the Norwegian economy in addition to energy resource "oil" discovered in the late 1960s. This is to say that Norway is one of the richest countries in the world. This remarkable transition has been driven by exploitation of natural resources. It started with fisheries, timber, and minerals, continued with hydro-electrical power, and since the 1970s oil and natural gas have been key sectors.
Norway had already equality as a basic norm:
In Norway, the routines of the economic policy model secure the economic well-being of the country related to historical tradition, the features of Norwegian, non developed feudalism, absence of indigenous aristocracy, weak bourgeoisies, strong state, united labour movement, small-scale owner occupier farming, they had already equality as a basic norm. The Labour Party as a politicians adopted a social democratic strategy which through legislation and political control, aimed at creating a welfare state based on equal citizen rights for all people.
Golden Age of Economic Development:
1945-1973 A social democratic golden age of economic development, Norway benefited from USA suppliers of new technologies, new method of work organization. Labour wanted to cushion the inequalities create by the market, working towards the goal of social equality. Norway the first and so far only European state to reject EC-membership, a proof of the continued strength of the grass roots. Fortunately, the timing of oil exploitation was perfect, it was in the world economic crisis period. This was the major reason why did not much trouble for politicians in Norway to manage the economic crisis and continue creating the social equality policies in the economic section for all.
Highly degree of equality:
Norway use the idea of universalism, that means for all in highly degree of equality. The Norwegian welfare state was connected to an economic policy model which promised full employment. Politicians maintain economy policies to secure that difference between peoples economic resource will not be too large such as highly progressive income taxes, tax policy, income policy, income distribution, minimum wage, subsidies to the agricultural sector, equalize earning in manufacturing and farming, tax reform, high tax to luxury goods, car alcohol cigarette, lower tax to food products. a new energy law, efficient allocation, resource distribution and decentralization in all aspects.
What options do the politicians have to reduce economic differences?
There are several options that politicians can help to reduce economic differences, the important one is providing financial assistance, and the other highly priority one is get rid of corruption.
Financial assistance (social assistance from Nav)
"Financial assistance is intended to ensure that everyone has enough money to cover their basic subsistence costs. Financial assistance is intended to secure people's income on a temporary basis and therefore aims to help you become financially independent. In order to receive financial assistance you must have considered all other options for supporting yourself. This includes opportunities for supporting yourself through gainful employment, spending your own savings and other financial rights, such as your rights pursuant to the National Insurance Act and entitlement to subsistence. The amount of financial assistance, as well as the other help and follow-up to which you are entitled, will be specifically and individually assessed based on your needs. Financial assistance is often provided in combination with information, advice and guidance."
Financial support for housing (The Norwegian State Housing Bank/Husbanken)
"Regjeringens visjon for boligpolitikken er at alle skal kunne bo trygt og godt. Husbanken er statens sentrale organ for gjennomføring av politikken." (Husbanken is belong to state that provide financial support for housing to people. If you have trouble paying your rent or financing the purchase of a home, you may be eligible for housing allowance or a start-up loan from your municipality. Husbanken also finance building of new homes and reconstruction projects.)
Financial support for education (The Norwegian State Loan Fund/Lånekassen)
The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund is primarily directed towards Norwegian citizens. However, some foreign citizens may be eligible for support. This is generous and quite good result for the whole society. There are some details and interesting informations that is quite generous policy: "There are not tuition fees for attending public higher education in Norway, as all the costs are covered by the Ministry of Education and Research. Students are also given the opportunity to apply for financial support (a part loan/part grant) from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. Eligible applicants may be granted financial support (a part loan/part grant) of about NOK90,000. It is initially given as a full loan, but upon completion of modules in the education around 40 percent of the amount is transferred to a scholarship/grant if the modules are passed. There is no interest paid while taking the education. While studying, all students belong to a student welfare organisation that takes care of such services as housing, on-campus dining, book stores, kindergartens, advisory services and some health care. Part of this is finances through a student fee, typically at NOK 300–500 per semester."
Diversity policies to get rid of "corruption"
Politician provide diversity policies to get rid of "corruption" Find effective ways to combat it, such as constitutional corruption. Corruption is so much taxing than tax. As Corruption is a major issue that adversely affects its economy, there are so many negative effects for the whole society: ("The Effects of Corruption on Growth, Investment, and Government Expenditure" To focus exclusively on corrupt public practices--illegal activities that reduce the economic efficiency of governments. It slows economic growth through a wide range of channels: corruption lowers investment and retards economic growth, corruption might reduce the effectiveness of aid flows through the diversion of funds, corruption may bring about loss of tax revenue, corruption may lead to adverse budgetary consequences, a corrupt system may lead to lower quality of infrastructure and public services, and corruption may distort the composition of government expenditure.") For example: Norway is successfully manage abundance of resources and reduce economic different extensively because of Norway is ‘producer friendly’ country with good protection of property rights and against corruption, limit waste and inefficiency, therefore natural resources have contributed to growth. More natural resources provide private agents with productive investment opportunities, in turn creating positive externalities for other agents. In addition, Norway has been efficiently administered country before oil discovery. The quality of public bureaucracy and the quality of institutions are full control to resource management, benefits of resources for all citizen, not just to political and economic elites in personal gain.
Why do we think that it is bad for society if the economic differences are very big?
When a tiny minority has all the money and the majority has least money or nothing because the economic differences are very big. This happens when resource in a country is poorly distributed among its peoples. The bad for society is "poverty" consequence. Poverty is a major cause of social tensions and threatens to divide a nation because of the issue of inequalities, in particular income inequality. There are many key words that can explain how bad it will be for society endlessly for example: social class, gap, unfair treatment society, discrimination, lack of education, homeless, malnutrition, crime, violence, bad environment, poor health and life expectancy, civil conflict, civil war etc. We can imagine how bad for society will be. There are many countries in the world that have been suffered and encountered with such these problems situation, and it is still in the case.
There are many resource abundant countries do not succeed in management of their resources. The resource curse is a big problem for them. Actually, the problem is not resource, but the policy. On the other hand, Norway is one of the countries that highly succeed in resource management because of equality concept policy that we can credit to "egalitarian individualism characterize Norwegians".
References:
Gullestad, Marianne: Egalitarian Individualism. Ch.VIII in Gullestad, M.: The Art of Social Relations.
Mjøset: Norwegian Political Economy Ch. 5 and 6 in A.C. Kiel: Continuity and Change.
Financial
assitance (social assistance)
Mål
og strategier
Higher
education in
Norway
Why
worry about corruption?
Why
do some resource-abundant countries succeed while others do not?
Causes
& Effects of Poverty On Society, Children & Violence
