Humanities Nordic Model test Flashcards
What is a party program?
Party Programs are basically detailed brochures including the viewpoint/standpoint of the party regarding certain themes and issues.
The party program is the party’s ‘law’ and is adopted by the party’s national assembly before a parliamentary election.
What is a constitution?
It is the highest form of law in the country. The Constitution creates the branches of government and gives them the power to govern.
In terms of the Norwegian constitution the three main principles are:
Soverignity of the people
Separation of powers (judicial (court system)
Legislative (strotinget) and executive branches (government)) and human rights.
What is the parliament?
The Parliament is a national assembly of elected representatives.
What is parliamentarism:
The core of parliamentarism is that the government is based on the Storting, and that the Storting has confidence in the work that the government does.
Some of the key components of parliamentarism include:
The King ceremonial head of state
The people elect the parliament and indirectly the government
Majority, minority and coalition governments
Who can vote in elections for Stortinget?
There are 169 representatives in the Stortinget. These 169 representatives are from the different parties of the government. When they come to the parliament they sit in the sections reserved for their party groups.
These representatives are the people that elect the President of the Storting.
The Storting elections are not for the public.
Who can vote in local elections?
Everyone above the age of 18 and have been living in Norway for 3 years can vote in the local elections.
Have to be a Norwegian resident for at least 3+ years
You have to be above 16-17 to vote.
What is a referendum?
A referendum is a direct and universal vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can have nationwide or local forms. When Norway was asked to be a part of the EU. Everyone in a country regarding a big decision.
What are the different branches of the Norwegian democracy?
Norway is an indirect democracy (this means the people of the country and local municipalities vote for a representative that represents them in the parliament elections). Where people don’t actually vote.
The different branches of the Norwegian government are: Executive = King, Legislative = Parliament/Storting and the Judicial = supreme court.
What does separation of powers mean?
Legal principle which means that state power is to be distributed among three Independent institutions: one legislative , one executive and one judicial .
If one of them abuses their power we still have the 2 others to lead the country. This leads to less corruption in politics.
How are the Norwegian governments formed?
After a parliamentary election, it is formally the king who chooses who will form the government
The Prime Minister points out who will sit in the government. Each minister is responsible for a subject area, a department.
What is a majority government?
The party or parties that form the government have more than half of the representatives in the Storting.
What is a minority government?
The party or parties that form the government have less than half of the representatives in the Storting.
What is a minority coalition government?
Several parties come together to form a government. It has been like this since 2001.
What are the responsibilities of the Storting?
The Storting passes, amends and repeals (to declare invalid) the Norwegian laws.
Storting approves the state budget every quarter of a year, ie the calculated revenues and expenditures of the state. The state budget thus shows the financial framework for the tasks that the state has in the coming year.
How many representatives sit in the Storting?
The Storing has 169 representatives. These electives are elected every four years.
What are the responsibilities of the government?
Proposes a budget, manages the public sector, enforce the law, and represents Norway
What are the responsibilities of local governments (county)?
The county Municipalities (Viken, Oslo) responsibilities are:
High school County roads District policy instruments Regional planning Operation of some cultural offerings
What are the responsibilities of local governments?
The municipalities (Kongsberg kommune ) responsibilities are:
Kindergartens Child welfare Primary schools Municipal roads Water, sewer, garbage collection Public health service Social assistance
How many municipalities are there in Norway?
356 municipalities in Norway
Socialist Parties:
Sosialistisk Venstrepartiet – The Socialist Left party and Arbeiderpartiet - The Labour Party
Non-Socialist parties:
Miljøpartiet de Grønne – The Green Party Senterpartiet – The Centre Party KrF - The Christian Democratic Party Venstre - The Liberals Høyre - The Conservative Party Fremskrittspartiet - The Progress Party
Rightist Parties:
The parties on the right want lower taxes, and believe that private companies can provide many of the welfare services in a more efficient way than the state. They talk less about social equality, and are more willing to accept economic differences between groups in society. Of the nine parties in the Storting, we like to place the Conservatives (H) and the Progress Party (FrP) on the right.
Leftist Parties:
The parties on the left often want a relatively high level of taxes and fees. In return, the state must provide welfare benefits such as hospitals, education and cultural services. They want to even out economic differences between groups in society, and are willing to tax those with the highest incomes more to achieve this. Of the nine parties in the Storting, we like to place Rødt (R), Sosialistisk Venstreparti (SV) and Arbeiderpartiet (A) on the left.
Sosialistisk Venstrepartiet – The Socialist Left party
SV will build a society based onsocialismin Norway.This means, among other things, that everyone, regardless of income, must have the same access to public services such as education, health services and care.The party wants to replace thecapitalistsystem, where market forces prevail, with a more democratic economic system.SV advocates full equality between the sexes and calls itself “afeministparty
Arbeiderpartiet - The Labour Party
Wants to change society through gradual reforms; level out social disparities; in favor of the State sector having greater responsibility for education, elderly, and health care. Work for all is number one priority
Miljøpartiet de Grønne – The Green Party
The party’s goal is a humane society in ecological balance. The economy must be subordinated to sound ecological principles, and promote peace and justice both locally and globally
Senterpartiet – The Centre Party
Emphasizes people, rural Norway and environment. The party is an enthusiastic supporter of the welfare state and wants to preserve welfare benefits.
Peasant Movement
KrF - The Christian Democratic Party
Stands for basic Christian values. Important issues for KrF are education and family policy, a restrictive alcohol policy, and a positive attitude towards the church. Strong supporter of foreign aid.
Venstre - The Liberals
A socially liberal party. Interested in both individual rights and society’s responsibilities. They are in Favor of a State welfare system and private business and industry.
Høyre - The Conservative Party
Believes that a market economy and private ownership are necessary to produce welfare and liberty. Nonetheless, the party is a supporter of State welfare schemes.
Fremskrittspartiet - The Progress Party
Calls itself a libertarian party. Interested in lower taxes and duties, and less State administration. Wants to spend more of oil fund on nursing homes, etc. Campaigns for stricter immigration policy
Rødt
Aim: socialist revolution to become a communist, class-less society. Means: democracy. Fighting oppression, war and racism is central to the party’s program. Rødt wants asylum seekers to have the right to work while they wait to have their asylum application processed.
What is the basic idea behind the welfare state
The basic idea behind the welfare state is that the state takes responsibility for ensuring the welfare of everyone in society. Those who are unable to support themselves will have the safest livelihood.
Everyone in the country has access to the welfare benefits, you don’t have to be “poor” to access it.
What are the three pillars the Nordic Model?
Economic Governance:
Organized work:
Coordinated wage, collective agreements, local cooperation.
Public Welfare:
Welfare state, income guarantees, free services and education, active labour market policies.
Why is it with the Nordic Model that makes other countries want to copy this model?
Because everyone gets paid well and are living happy in Norway compared to other countries where the wage gaps are very high. Norway has the NHO and NAV and other organizations that ensure that everyone gets more than a basic level of income.
In Norway they decrease the salary for the highly paid and increase the salary for the less paid in order to decrease the wage gap so that everyone feels that they are the same.
The benefits of the National Security scheme (Folketrygden) and how it is funded
The National Insurance Scheme is a compulsorysocial security schemefor everyone who lives in Norway.
National Insurance provides financialbenefitsfor illness,pregnancy and birth,unemployment, age,disability, death, and loss ofthe breadwinner.
The National Insurance Scheme also covers expenses for medical treatment andrehabilitationas well as work-oriented measures.
The National Insurance Scheme is financed by membership fees,employer contributions,and subsidies from the state.The National Insurance Scheme is administered byNAV
How the Norwegian government support public education:
Free primary and secondary education
University and college (høyskole) with small tuition fee
Living costs covered by loan and stipend from Lånekassen (under Kunnskapsdepartementet the ministry of knowledge)
