In her post “We need a single rebellion”, Hilde Wisløff Nagell begins with a caveat that one should not pit groups against each other. When she nevertheless concludes by suggesting that single people should pay lower municipal taxes, so that non-single people have to pay more, there is reason to defend the “politically privileged” families with children. The problems Nagell describes affect a much smaller group than 1 million Norwegians, a figure she uses in her introduction. “Singles” is a statistical phenomenon that consists of everything from 18-year-olds in small student housing to 97-year-old widows in large villas. The group also consists of unmarried, childless couples in their 30s with high salaries and each owning their own apartment. Furthermore, high food prices and housing costs are a poverty problem, not a singles problem. Spouses can also struggle with the household budget. Nagell’s solidarity therefore appears somewhat exclusionary. When subsidized kindergartens are prioritized over cheaper rubbish collection for single people, it is because society believes it is more important to ensure good growing conditions for children than living conditions for adults who should be able to take care of themselves. It may be a bitter pill to swallow, but from a long-term perspective it is undoubtedly the right priority. When it comes to combating crime, extremism and conflicts, a safe childhood is the most effective tool available. It is today’s children who will lead Norway forward, not today’s middle-aged singles. These children will also end up taking care of those who themselves did not have any offspring. Well received, greetings today’s parents. Despite the fact that single people may find it provocative that the state spends a lot of money on families with children, having children is not a financial profit project. Children are expensive to operate, and unlike beer on the town, they are not an expense that can be cut out. There are many reasons why Norwegian women have fewer children, but more expensive food, housing and leisure activities have hardly contributed positively. If Nagell’s “singles rebellion” succeeds in moving tax dollars from parents to single people, even fewer will be able to afford to have children. Norway needs more children, and fewer young singles. The political discussion should be about what the state can do for people to find together, not about how it can be economically more beneficial to be alone. Published 02.08.2024, at 09.47
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Prioritize the youngest – Speech
