Jan Ludvig Andreassen, chief economist at Eika Group, an alliance of independent Norwegian banks, says that Norwegians have “become much richer than we had expected”.
Yet at the same time, he says that after a period of high interest rates and painful inflation, partly caused by a historically weak krone, which makes imported goods and services expensive, ordinary Norwegians don’t feel rich.
Norway is also a world-leading donor, external of overseas humanitarian aid.
“I think Norwegians are generous contributors to good causes,” observes Prof Oxfeldt.
However, pointing to Norway’s additional oil exports that have come about as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, Mr Andreassen says that Norway’s charitable donations “are small fry relative to the extra earnings arising from war and suffering”. This is a view echoed by Mr Tosterud.
But do they agree with Prof Oxfeldt that many Norwegians feel guilty? “Not really, except perhaps in some circles such as the environmental movement,” says Mr Andreassen.
Mr Tosterud agrees. “I don’t have any sense of guilt, and neither do I think it is widespread in Norway.”
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