The United Nordic Federation(theoretical idea)

[Jackmoves]

AS BIG get-togethers go, the Nordic Council’s annual sessions are chummy affairs. With several hundred politicians, diplomats and academics milling around one of the region’s capitals, it is more like a big family gathering than an international summit. The agenda is long on worthy initiatives and short on substance. Yet this week’s meeting in Reykjavik was different—and not just because signs were emerging of another flight-grounding Icelandic ash cloud.

The frisson came from a startling new book by Gunnar Wetterberg, a Swedish historian, proposing a pan-Nordic federation to unite Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden under a single monarch: Denmark’s Queen Margrethe. The five countries (plus their autonomous territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Aland) would retain individual legislatures for local matters. But economic and labour-market policy would be co-ordinated, and foreign and defence policy would be ceded to the federation. How this would chime with the European Union is not clear: three of the countries are in, Norway is out and Iceland is negotiating membership; only Finland is in the euro.

Yet Mr Wetterberg claims that “the united Nordic federation is a realistic Utopia that could be achieved within 20 years.” The union would have 25m citizens and a combined GDP of $1.6 trillion, making it one of the world’s 12 biggest economies and entitling it to a seat at the G20. The combined economies could be more dynamic and better able to sustain high welfare and living standards.

If Nordic union is such a good idea, why has it not already happened? Mr Wetterberg blames the failure of previous attempts at unity since the collapse of the Kalmar union in the 16th century on meddling foreign powers. The Hanseatic League, the United States and the Soviet Union all obstructed attempts at unification, he says. “Nowadays the great powers no longer interfere and for the first time in 600 years the Nordic countries have the opportunity to discuss their collective future in peace and quiet.”

A poll conducted by the Nordic Council before the summit found that 42% of Nordic citizens were positive or highly positive about political union. But the rest were opposed. And recent gains by far-right parties in Scandinavia suggest that the pull of national sovereignty may be rising. A Nordic union may yet have to wait another century or two.

The idea may have won over more Scandinavians had it not been proposed by a Swede. The rest of Scandinavia has a well-grounded suspicion of all initiatives coming from Sweden – a historical grudge born in the earliest days in their shared history.

I'll have to get this book.
I had totally missed that this was actually on the agenda of the nordic council, they have actually discussed this, it's an interesting theory but not likely to happen imo. :P

What say you my fellow norsemen shall we bundle up and live happily forever after?

Some articles about it.
http://www.economist.com/node/17421414
http://euobserver.com/7/31188
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20110108/162045431.html

[Primernova]

I could see that being a strong and noble coalition, all power to it.

[Rhywolver]

Yes, I like it. And add Germany and maybe the NEtherlands to your new Nordic Empire... please?

[Reg]

Coming from the United States, I don't think I really care... but if it makes you kids happy, GO FOR IT!

[Kivimetsan]

The United Nordic Socialist Federation*

Ba dum tss

OT: Bad idea... globalisation is terrible, sure it works on star trek and star wars, but humans are extremely nationalistic creatures and I highly doubt every individual of each country would be down for it.

Who would govern it?

The EU is falling as we speak, uniting countries and destroying individual sovereignty isnt cool and really doesn't work. Maybe in a few hundred years this would work, but right now the world is just too chaotic.

But hey, I dont live there so its not my place to speak, even though my family is from Finland and stuff.

[Vapo]

No, co-operation? sure. united under one "nation", hell no. maybe swe, denmark and norway can somewhat understand each other but i doubt that many finns would be excited about this idea.

[Niku]

Could someone bring up some Pros and Cons to this?

[Deleted]

can the UK join? i like scandanavia :P

[Jackmoves]

No, co-operation? sure. united under one "nation", hell no. maybe swe, denmark and norway can somewhat understand each other but i doubt that many finns would be excited about this idea.

They would simply have to get swedish (back?) into the schools, finish would have to be a regional language, probably not something that would go down well though haha

Could someone bring up some Pros and Cons to this?

Some of it is mentioned, for example how it would be easier to sustain high welfare and living standards.
Our economy would be quite substantial, so we would realisticly get more influence globally, being part of the G20 etc.

[Simulacrum]

As interesting as it'd be to see the minor nordic countries unite in a fashion that made scandinavia a (relatively) major power again, it's hard to imagine how this would be achieved. There are a lot of issues to be dealt with, not least the issue of how it's not all one culture up here, the many different languages, minorities such as the sami, issues of organizing the government, the feelings of groups of people who may be feeling nenglected in such a union, the issue of the EU, the issue of currency, and tons more that I couldn't even begin to articulate sensibly without probably years of study and consulting with experts.

Personally I'd be a fan of the idea, but it doesn't seem likely, at least not for decades, if ever.

[jazen]

Individually, the countries are blips on the world radar, joined together, they are a blip on the world radar. Really makes little difference, although it would certainly help those countries leverage their individual power/money/resources.

[Deleted]

Hell no, all Swedes are gay.


Seriously though, there's no point diminishing national sovereignity, but there should be complete free trade, free movement of capital, people, goods and services between the Nordic nations. Which is pretty much the case now.

[Damsbo]

Individually, the countries are blips on the world radar, joined together, they are a blip on the world radar. Really makes little difference, although it would certainly help those countries leverage their individual power/money/resources.

History would like a word with you.

[Reg]

History would like a word with you.

And that is where those nations will stay forever!

[Damsbo]

And that is where those nations will stay forever!

Science, would like a word with you.

[Niku]

They would simply have to get swedish (back?) into the schools, finish would have to be a regional language, probably not something that would go down well though haha



Some of it is mentioned, for example how it would be easier to sustain high welfare and living standards.
Our economy would be quite substantial, so we would realisticly get more influence globally, being part of the G20 etc.

I like the sound of that.

[woly]

They would simply have to get swedish (back?) into the schools, finish would have to be a regional language, probably not something that would go down well though haha

We have Swedish in schools and almost everyone seems to hate it. (me included) ._.

[Jackmoves]

And that is where those nations will stay forever!

We are small but hardly as insignificant as you make it out to be :P
As far as science and innovation goes nordic countries are at the forefront with a ton of shit going on. Swedish inventors alone hold a total of 33,523 patents in the United States(according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office). As a nation, only ten other countries hold more patents than Sweden.

Add the others and we would probably be among the top 5.

We have Swedish in schools and almost everyone seems to hate it. (me included) ._.

I thought you guys had stoped teaching swedish, do you have to study it? Seems weird.

[Reg]

Science, would like a word with you.

I asked science. They are busy with magnets.

But the guy has a point, the union of those countries into their own version of the EU doesn't really mean anything on a global scale. They are just kind of ... there.

EDIT: I will say one thing though, I watched my very first Swedish movie today, and I liked it lol

[Damsbo]

I asked science. They are busy with magnets.

But the guy has a point, the union of those countries into their own version of the EU doesn't really mean anything on a global scale. They are just kind of ... there.

EDIT: I will say one thing though, I watched my very first Swedish movie today, and I liked it lol

Feeling you take your own countries global affairs, and adding them, to a topic where nothing global got mentioned. Scandanavia got mentioned.. No wonder science wont talk you. You're "that guy" aren't you?