“Are the elites?” ask Klassekampens nyhetssjef Mímir Kristjánsson rhetorically in yesterday’s newspaper, and the follow up: “When you read the kommentarsidene in VG and Dagbladet, one can be in the spigot if there are elites in Norway.”
the Background for Kristjánssons wonder is Dagbladet last editorial in 2018. Where warned we the people against allowing themselves to be deceived by the velregisserte antielitismen that brings the influence of demagogues to power in a number of democracies.
Short answer precursor the fake antielitismen so: Maktpersoner that even belong to an elite, for example, economic (Trump) or political (Vedum/Listhaug), accusations isn’t to be elitists without regard to, or understanding of, “most people.” Even where they as pure products of the people, not “elitefabrikker” as educational institutions, partiorganisasjoner and ministries. Or Oslo, for the embrace a little larger.
On the way, take the man, not the ball. Rather than to relate to the contents of the opponent’s policy, as well as the arguments advanced to defend it, svertes the sender. So also does not have the strategy contain many own arguments and thoughtful solutions. By karikere the opponent, will debate almost always be about something other than the actual politikkområdet.
In such a world, wrote the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, “moved the debate from argumentenes battlefield of distrust, and populism.” It is a disturbing development for anyone who wants the facts, innestemme and compromise, rather than polarization.
And here talking Kristjánsson and we a bit past each other. We do not mean, as Kristjánsson pretends to believe, that the resistance against the fake antielitisme exempts Norwegian elites for criticism.
for example, It is not long ago this newspaper published a large survey of the hidden power in Norway, not only the outcomes of formal positions. Not to mention the daily maktkritikken we lead on the leader – and kommentarplass, in the editorial activities and in gravejournalistikken.
Depending on what Kristjánsson puts in turmoil, it is not difficult for me to agree that “we need more, not less, in rebellion against the elite in 2019.” Therefore, criticizes, for example, we also increasingly the economic elite’s too-favorable tax regime under the Solberg-government, as well as the dangers of increased uikhet.
But the form for antielitisme we refer to in lederartikkelen Kristjánsson criticizes, is not the same as good and important maktkritikk. We don’t think the populist and fake antielitisme is a good instrument to uncover the elite’s exercise of power, and think not that it creates a climate that unites the elite’s interests with the people’s. I interpret Kristjánsson in the best sense, I think he thinks the same.
