Editing History of Norway (section)

==Independence==
{{See|Dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden| The Neutral Ally}}
[[File:Kjelsaas brug 1912 Wilse.jpg|thumb|Industry along [[Akerselva]] in Oslo in 1912]]
With the four-party [[Michelsen's Cabinet]] appointed in 1905, Parliament voted to establish a Norwegian consular service. This was rejected by the king and on 7 June Parliament unanimously approved the [[Dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden|dissolution of the union]]. In the following [[1905 Norwegian union dissolution referendum|dissolution referendum]], only 184 people voted in favor of a union. The government offered the Norwegian crown to Denmark's Prince Carl, who after [[Norwegian monarchy plebiscite, 1905|a plebiscite]] became [[Haakon VII]].<ref>Stenersen: 97</ref> The following ten years, Parliament passed a series of social reforms, such as [[sick pay]], factory inspection, a ten-hour working day and worker protection laws. Waterfalls for [[hydroelectricity]] became an important resource in this period and the government secured laws to hinder foreigners from controlling waterfalls, mines and forests.<ref>Stenersen: 100</ref> Large industrial companies established in these years were [[Elkem]],<ref>Thuesen: 248</ref> [[Norsk Hydro]] and [[Sydvaranger]].<ref>Thuesen: 252</ref> The [[Bergen Line]] was completed in 1909,<ref name="railway" /> the [[Norwegian Institute of Technology]] was established the following year<ref>Thuesen: 258</ref> and [[women's suffrage]] was introduced in 1913—as the second country in the world.<ref name="s93" /> From the 1880s to the 1920s, Norwegians carried out a series of polar expeditions. The most important explorers were [[Fridtjof Nansen]], [[Roald Amundsen]] and [[Otto Sverdrup]]. [[Amundsen's South Pole expedition|Amundsen's expedition]] in 1911 became the first to reach the South Pole.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.frammuseum.no/Polar-Expedition.aspx |title=Polar Expeditions |publisher=[[Fram Museum]] |access-date=20 November 2012 |archive-date=29 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029022134/http://www.frammuseum.no/Polar-Expedition.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:At the South Pole, December 1911.jpg|thumb|left|[[Roald Amundsen]], [[Helmer Hanssen]], [[Sverre Hassel]] and [[Oscar Wisting]] (l–r) at [[Polheim]], the tent erected at the South Pole on 16 December 1911 as [[Amundsen's South Pole expedition|the first expedition]]]]
{{Anchor|World War I}}Norway adopted a policy of [[neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]] from 1905; during [[World War I]] the Norwegian merchant marine was largely used in support of the British, resulting in Norway being classified as [[The Neutral Ally]]. Half the Norwegian fleet was sunk and 2,000 seamen were killed by the German [[Atlantic U-boat Campaign (World War I)|Atlantic U-boat Campaign]]. Some merchants made huge profits from trade and shipping during the war,<ref>Stenersen: 101</ref> resulting in an increased division between the classes.<ref>Stenersen: 102</ref> The [[interwar period]] was dominated by economic instability caused among other by strikes, lock-outs and the monetary policy causing [[deflation]] to compensate for too much money having been issued during the war and thus hindering investments.<ref>Stenersen: 103</ref> Especially fishermen were hit hard in the period, while farmers retained market prices through organizing regulations. Unemployment peaked at ten percent between 1931 and 1933.<ref>Stenersen: 104</ref> Although industrial production increased by eighty percent from 1915 to 1939, the number of jobs remained stable.<ref>Stenersen: 106</ref> The [[Norwegian School of Economics]] was established in 1936.<ref>Thuesen: 300</ref>

Norway had nine governments between 1918 and 1935, nearly all minority and lasting an average eighteen months. The [[Centre Party (Norway)|Agrarian Party]] was established in 1920, although this period saw a rise of support for the Conservatives.<ref>Stenersen: 107</ref> The Labor Party split in 1921, with the left wing establishing the [[Communist Party of Norway|Communist Party]].<ref>Stenersen: 110</ref> Although strong during the 1920s, they were marginalized through the 1930s. A short-lived Labor Government reigned in 1928,<ref>Stenersen: 111</ref> but did not establish a sound parliamentary support until the 1935 [[Nygaardsvold's Cabinet]], based on an alliance with the Agrarian Party.<ref>Stenersen: 113</ref> During the 1920s and 1930s, Norway established [[dependencies of Norway|three dependencies]], [[Bouvetøya]], [[Peter I Island]] and [[Queen Maud Land]], annexed [[Jan Mayen]] and secured sovereignty of [[Svalbard]] through the [[Svalbard Treaty]].<ref>Stenersen: 116</ref> Norway's first civil airport, [[Stavanger Airport, Sola|Stavanger]], opened in 1937.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avinor.no/lufthavn/stavanger/omoss/70_Historikk |title=Historikk – Stavanger lufthavn, Sola |publisher=Avinor.no |access-date=21 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528014107/http://www.avinor.no/lufthavn/stavanger/omoss/70_Historikk |archive-date=28 May 2014}}</ref>