Jón Þorláksson
Encyclopedia
Jón Þorláksson was Prime Minister
of Iceland
from 8 July 1926 to 28 August 1927. He was the only leader of the Conservative Party
(Íhaldsflokkurinn) which merged with the Liberal Party to form the Independence Party
in 1929, and the Mayor of Reykjavík
from 1933 to his death.
in 1926. Jón Þorláksson graduated from Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
in 1897, highest in his class and with the best results ever given to a student at that school. He studied civil engineering at the Polytechnic School in Copenhagen
(later the Danish School of Technology), graduating in 1903. In 1905, he became Iceland’s Chief Engineer, overseeing in the next 12 years the construction of roads and bridges in the country, and advocating (and helping to build) hydroelectric power plants and the use of Iceland’s ample resources of thermal power to heat houses. Jón resigned from his office in 1917, starting a company which imported building materials, but also working as an independent engineer on several projects. He was elected to the parliament in 1921, on a list opposed to the nascent socialist party. Respected rather than popular, he soon became the leader of the conservative and libertarian elements in the parliament, founding in 1924 the Conservative Party. Jón Þorláksson became Finance Minister in the government formed by the Conservative Party in 1924, raising the value of the Icelandic crown in 1925, very much as Winston Churchill
raised the value of the pound at the same time. Upon the sudden death of Prime Minister Jón Magnússon
in 1926, he became Prime Minister as well. After the defeat of the Conservative Party
in the parliamentary elections of 1927, Jón Þorláksson became the leader of the opposition. He was the first leader of the Independence Party
which was formed by a merger of the Conservative Party
and a small Liberal Party in 1929. He became Mayor of Reykjavík
in 1933. Because of failing health he resigned as leader of the Independence Party in 1934 and died one year later. He was married and had two adopted daughters.
Jón Þorláksson was a classical liberal
who had learnt his economics from the well-known Swedish economist Gustav Cassel
. In a magazine article in 1926, Jón Þorláksson distinguished between conservative and radical ideas on the one hand and libertarian
and authoritarian ideas on the other hand. He said that those two sets of ideas could exist in all four combinations. His opponents in the Icelandic left-wing or socialist parties were for example, he contended, both radical and authoritarian. Sometimes libertarians also had to be radical. But at present they should be conservative, because essentially their task was to conserve the freedom won in the battles of the 18th and 19th centuries, and to defend them against socialism. Thus, Jón Þorláksson defined himself as a conservative libertarian. In a paper read to the general meeting of the Conservative Party in 1929, he briefly, but clearly, outlined the classical liberal idea of how people could, by working solely for their own personal interest, in a competitive environment, unwittingly serve the public interest. There, he forcefully defended free trade
and limited government. Publicly, Jón Þorláksson proposed the privatisation of the two commercial banks in Iceland, then in the hands of government.
Prime Minister of Iceland
The Prime Minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the President and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support....
of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
from 8 July 1926 to 28 August 1927. He was the only leader of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (Iceland)
The Conservative Party was a conservative political party in Iceland that existed from 1924 to 1929. It was the first right-wing party in Iceland, and formed in opposition to the agrarian Progressive Party and the left-wing Social Democratic Party. It supported the full independence of Iceland...
(Íhaldsflokkurinn) which merged with the Liberal Party to form the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
in 1929, and the Mayor of Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
from 1933 to his death.
Career
Jón Þorláksson (usually transcribed Thorlaksson) was a farmer’s son, from Vesturhópshólar in Húnavatnssýsla in the northwest of Iceland. He and his two sisters and one brother were unusually gifted. One of his sisters, Björg Þorláksdóttir, was for example the first Icelandic woman to receive a doctorate, from the SorbonneSorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in 1926. Jón Þorláksson graduated from Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík
Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík is the oldest gymnasium in Reykjavík, Iceland....
in 1897, highest in his class and with the best results ever given to a student at that school. He studied civil engineering at the Polytechnic School in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
(later the Danish School of Technology), graduating in 1903. In 1905, he became Iceland’s Chief Engineer, overseeing in the next 12 years the construction of roads and bridges in the country, and advocating (and helping to build) hydroelectric power plants and the use of Iceland’s ample resources of thermal power to heat houses. Jón resigned from his office in 1917, starting a company which imported building materials, but also working as an independent engineer on several projects. He was elected to the parliament in 1921, on a list opposed to the nascent socialist party. Respected rather than popular, he soon became the leader of the conservative and libertarian elements in the parliament, founding in 1924 the Conservative Party. Jón Þorláksson became Finance Minister in the government formed by the Conservative Party in 1924, raising the value of the Icelandic crown in 1925, very much as Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
raised the value of the pound at the same time. Upon the sudden death of Prime Minister Jón Magnússon
Jón Magnússon
Jón Magnússon may refer to:* Jon Magnusson, Earl of Orkney in 1284–c. 1300* Jón Magnússon , 17th century Icelandic author* Jón Magnússon , prime minister of Iceland* Jón Arnar Magnússon, Icelandic decathlete...
in 1926, he became Prime Minister as well. After the defeat of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (Iceland)
The Conservative Party was a conservative political party in Iceland that existed from 1924 to 1929. It was the first right-wing party in Iceland, and formed in opposition to the agrarian Progressive Party and the left-wing Social Democratic Party. It supported the full independence of Iceland...
in the parliamentary elections of 1927, Jón Þorláksson became the leader of the opposition. He was the first leader of the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
which was formed by a merger of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (Iceland)
The Conservative Party was a conservative political party in Iceland that existed from 1924 to 1929. It was the first right-wing party in Iceland, and formed in opposition to the agrarian Progressive Party and the left-wing Social Democratic Party. It supported the full independence of Iceland...
and a small Liberal Party in 1929. He became Mayor of Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
in 1933. Because of failing health he resigned as leader of the Independence Party in 1934 and died one year later. He was married and had two adopted daughters.
Political ideas
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
who had learnt his economics from the well-known Swedish economist Gustav Cassel
Gustav Cassel
Karl Gustav Cassel was a Swedish economist and professor of economics at Stockholm University.Cassel's perspective on economic reality, and especially on the role of interest, was rooted in British neoclassicism and in the nascent Swedish schools...
. In a magazine article in 1926, Jón Þorláksson distinguished between conservative and radical ideas on the one hand and libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
and authoritarian ideas on the other hand. He said that those two sets of ideas could exist in all four combinations. His opponents in the Icelandic left-wing or socialist parties were for example, he contended, both radical and authoritarian. Sometimes libertarians also had to be radical. But at present they should be conservative, because essentially their task was to conserve the freedom won in the battles of the 18th and 19th centuries, and to defend them against socialism. Thus, Jón Þorláksson defined himself as a conservative libertarian. In a paper read to the general meeting of the Conservative Party in 1929, he briefly, but clearly, outlined the classical liberal idea of how people could, by working solely for their own personal interest, in a competitive environment, unwittingly serve the public interest. There, he forcefully defended free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and limited government. Publicly, Jón Þorláksson proposed the privatisation of the two commercial banks in Iceland, then in the hands of government.