Speech in Oslo, June 28, 1936: The Welfare Policy, — a mockery of the Unemployed

Extract from a speech at NS' national meeting in Oslo, June 28, 1936.

By Gulbrand Lunde.

A small hut of one's own is better,

A man is his master at home:

His heart bleeds in the beggar who must

Ask at each meal for meat.

(Håvamål.)

One of the worst consequences of bourgeois-Marxist politics is unemployment. Those of us who have experienced job loss firsthand can attest to this curse. It serves as compelling evidence of the bankruptcy of bourgeois-Marxist policies, which have resulted in a significant portion of the country’s able-bodied youth being unemployed and unable to participate in the production process. Allowing such a large segment of the population to remain jobless without providing meaningful work in return is an economically unsound system. Meanwhile, the rest of the population must work to support both themselves and the unemployed.

While it is challenging to provide an exact count of today’s unemployed individuals, we can estimate the number to be close to 150,000. Additionally, there are over 150,000 welfare recipients, although some of them are unable to work. Furthermore, a substantial proportion of the unemployed do not receive welfare support because they are assisted by their families.

The root causes lie in the Marxist worldview itself—a system built on materialistic and economic principles. Attempting to rebuild a society through economic manipulations alone is futile. Distributing aid and support across different regions, regardless of merit, can inadvertently harm people’s moral fabric. Presently, welfare benefits and assistance are extended not only to those unemployed through no fault of their own but also to day laborers and those who avoid work. Unfortunately, the emphasis often lies in merely sustaining the unemployed, rather than actively reintegrating them into the production process to once again become productive members of society.

It all boils down to a purely economic question. Yes, the mayor of one of our cities even asserted that it was more profitable for the municipality to provide welfare contributions to the unemployed rather than employing them!

Any thoughtful person must recognize that this cannot be morally right, regardless of the practical implications.

In reality, the unemployment problem cannot be effectively addressed by the old political parties—neither the bourgeois nor the Marxists. Only a new policy, grounded in national solidarity, can achieve that. Such a policy would prioritize fostering productive collaboration among all Norwegians who seek to build an organic Norwegian society based on work, with the right and duty to contribute to the well-being of all citizens.