12/04/2005 11:29:32 am
The Last Soviet State...? A few years ago, the Swedish Minister of Industry joked about Norway being the last Soviet State - and was very criticised for it. Of course he was wrong, but they have at least one law which could have been taken directly from the Evil Empire. The law was apparently approved by Parliament almost two years ago. It basically says that if a Norwegian company doesn?t have at least 40 per cent women in the board by the 1st of July 2005, the company may be dissolved by the state. Now that date is coming close and several companies don?t have such representation, for example Norsk Hydro. Now it risks being dissolved by force. One can always discuss that representation and why the situation is the way it is. To me it is self-evident that women should have the same opportunities to become board members. But this law is extreme state interventionism. It totally dissolves property rights. Had it been April 1st I would have understood this piece of news. But it isn?t. This is not a joke, quite the opposite. It may be a warning: it is to this kind of terrible situations that short-sighted populism can get you.

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