As Americans are debating over how to react to the situation in Syria, there have been some fascinating developments elsewhere in the world well worth noting.
For example, one of Scandinavia’s most nanny-state governments has had an election that tilted their state dramatically rightward:
Conservative Party leader Erna Solberg — nicknamed “Iron Erna” for her tough image — will become Norway’s new prime minister, as the leader of a center-right coalition government.
Solberg thanked the voters Monday for a historic victory in the oil-rich Nordic in a parliamentary election that yielded the best result for the conservatives in 28 years.
Norway’s new Prime Minister, Erna Solberg
The reason for her success?
“I call it government fatigue. The Labor coalition has been in power for eight years and one would expect that some voters now think it is time for a change,” said Frank Aarebrot, professor of comparative politics at the University of Bergen.
In retrospect, it is interesting to note that oil has funded one of the most socialist of Europe’s socialist democracies. The discovery of oil and gas in Norway’s waters in the 1960s allowed Norway to create a strong welfare system and a high living standard. However, in recent years, the nation has been trending more toward capitalism:
In recent years the Norwegians have been adjusting their model to get the best combination of state control and global competition. In 2007 they merged two state companies, Statoil and Hydro, in order to create a national champion. They also reduced the state’s share to 62.5%. For some this shows that Norway is liberalising….
Norway has also caught the region’s enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. The government is promoting new businesses through bodies such as Innovation Norway and university science parks. Venture-capital firms such as Northzone, too, are on the lookout for clever ideas.
Down-under, Australian elections also resulted in a conservative swing:
Australia’s conservative leader Tony Abbott has claimed a decisive victory as voters punished the outgoing Labor government for six years of turbulent rule and for failing to maximise the benefits of a now fading mining boom.
Mr Abbott, a former boxer, Rhodes scholar and trainee priest, promised to restore political stability, cut taxes and crack down on asylum seekers arriving by boat.
“From today I declare that Australia is under new management and Australia is once more open for business,” Mr Abbott told jubilant supporters in Sydney.
As the American economy sputters and our leaders struggle to maintain some semblance of credibility, it is good to see Norway led by a new “Iron Lady” and one of our biggest allies getting back to serious business. I can only hope our elections in 2014 turn our country in a similar direction.
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Norway is a beautiful country. I have visited Oslo a few times. What I remember is that while Transportation costs were subsidized, food costs seemed very high. This is understandable in a country that is winterized for most of the year, and growing food has a very short season. Nonetheless, a lot of the food costs had to do with protectionism of the Norwegian domestic producers.
With a conservative government taking the reigns, I foresee a drop in food prices, a booming of the Norwegian economy, and the Scandinavians doing quite well in balancing social services. It helps when your countries population isn’t in the hundreds of millions, but it works for them.
Eventually, people grew weary of having their pockets picked clean and will put an end to it.
When they get away from nannyhood; come talk to me.
Yes, this is a step forward.
But agree that it will feel more significant if/when the nanny state is at least partially dissolved.
Also, reading about Australia, I sense that the conservatives there are not even up to the John Howard level of a decade ago.
Still a long way to go…but celebrate every positive step forward!
Maybe our country has been their inspiration. They’re observing how it’s going downhill fast with this administration trying to make us into another Europe.
The real story is at Drudge!
No need to leave America to see it. Seems, in Washington, DC, the park people wouldn’t issue a permit to the Harley Davidson bike riders. So you’ve got about 2-MILLION motorcycles (stopping for traffic signals), to give voice to 9/11.
Seems the politicians in DC were going to give the muslims a permit, to gather on the Mall, to “celebrate” 9/11. And, to complain we’re not treating muslims very well.
Big mistake when politicians take on the People!
So if you want a lesson … go to Drudge. It’s his headline piece.
Carol: I would humbly like to point out that Legal Insurrection posted the very story earlier today. 😀
2014, here we come, America!
HINT: See Colorado recall election last night.
FLASHBACK: And Wisconsin recall election last year.
It’s starting in the states and will finally make it to DC in 2014 and 2016.
Suppose we xcould either of these folks to come to CA?
Yes, yes, I know. Anyone with the brains to take on our problems has the brains to stay away.
Norway has a lot of disciplined and resourceful people. If they can get over their “everyone should be absolutely equal” mentality and relax the oppressive ideological conformism, the natural entrepreneurs can flourish. But they also need to do something about their Muslim problem.
Norway is oil rich. And, they’ve got very generous welfare, which includes beautiful housing.
The problems the influx of immigrants is that there’s no way the immigrants intend to absorb the culture.
That’s why you see the move to restrain the welfare system. And, only right wing politicians bring this to the table.
I wouldn’t get too excited. I’ve been to Australia many times, and believe me most of them are liberal. And the conservatives there are barely conservative.
I’ve never been to Norway, but all of the Europeans I’ve met are very similar to the Aussies, meaning most are liberal to a T and the conservatives are rare, and once again, barely conservative.
The “right” (whatever that means) might be winning elections outside of the US, but don’t think that means they believe in limited govt and personal freedoms.
I think it is simpler to just accept that American conservatives are their own category.rather than try to rate the others against your norm.
The only conservatives in Australia are the Regal appointees. That is their job to maintain the royal protocols eg signing in a government & military commissions & in essence the stability of the nation.
The rest just deal with life as goes on changing this & that . Interestingly it is this model of Regal Conservatism & responsiveness that places 6 nations Hk Singapore Australia NZ Canada & Mauritius in Heritages’s top 10 for Economic Freedoms.
Applied to the USA it would mean a stable strong but mainly formal Federal government plus the 50 states with their own individual paths. Ironically not too different to the Founding Fathers ‘ ideas?