Why Did Norway Say No?

Abstract

By a percentage of S3 against 47 of those who voted on September 25, 1972 (approximately 70 per cent of the electorate), Norway rejected full membership in the European Economic Community (EEC). This result came as a shock to the vast majority of those holding power and influence in Norway, including the leading political parties and organizations. The Social Democratic Party, with nearly half of the population behind it, and the National Federation of Trade Unions had made it a condition of loyalty to vote for full membership. The Conservative Party, with about 20 per cent of the voters backing it, had also taken a strong stand for full membership. The discussion for or against membership goes back to 1962–1963, and was resumed 2 years ago. A movement against membership had been built up from the grass roots, crossing party lines and organizations. The author discusses this unique situation, where overriding values and philosophies were able to unite a majority of the nation. All age groups and social classes were involved, although younger people probably were in majority. In the author's view, this movement had very little to do with narrow nationalism or fear of contact. On the contrary, it was a forward-looking movement, motivated, among other factors, by the importance of international cooperation at a global level; by the feeling that the economic growth model of the Treaty of Rome was now outmoded; that the supplementary values to be created must be developed by decentralization in smaller units at a local level; that spreading alienation can only be counteracted by more active participation by and responsibility of the individual citizen; and that the bigger was not always a better unit. The victorious movement was, in fact, carried by a feeling that one had to break loose from the conventional development model and consciously try to lay the foundation for the coming postindustrial society.