Arne Skaug
Encyclopedia
Arne Skaug was a Norwegian economist, civil servant, diplomat and politician for the Labour Party
. He is known as director of Statistics Norway
from 1946 to 1948, Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping
from 1955 to 1962 and later ambassador.
as a son of Johan Anton Skaug (1881–1956) and Jenny Lovise Olsen (1882–1917). He graduated with the cand.oecon.
degree in 1930, and was hired as a secretary in Statistics Norway
in the same year. He continued to work there, except for study leaves from 1935 to 1936 in London
. In 1935 and 1936 he released two books: Tidens sosialøkonomi and Dør vi ut? Befolkningsspørsmålet og arbeiderbevegelsen, both written together with Aase Lionæs
. In 1939 he was hired in the Ministry of Provisioning
, and was a research fellow
in economics. He then spent the war years in the United States; first with studies from 1939 to 1941 and as assisting professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1941. From 1942 to 1946 he worked for Norwegian government in New York City
and Washington DC.
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
, becoming the first in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hold the State Secretary position, which had been introduced in 1947. He left this position in February 1949 to become the Norwegian ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
in Paris
. From January 1955 to January 1962 he served as the Minister of Trade and Shipping
in Gerhardsen's Third Cabinet. He was also the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs from August to October 1957 and December 1960 to February 1961, when Halvard Lange
had absences of leave. He was then the ambassador to the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
from 1962 to 1968, and to Denmark
from 1968 to 1974. He died in March 1974.
Skaug was heavily decorated. He was a Commander of the Greek Order of the Phoenix, and held the Grand Cross of the British Royal Victorian Order
, the Swedish Order of the Polar Star
, the Portuguese Order of Christ
, the Siamese Order of the White Elephant
, the Persian Order of the Lion and the Sun
, the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
, the Belgian Order of the Crown
, the Icelandic Order of the Falcon
, the Finnish Order of the Lion
and the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. He is known as director of Statistics Norway
Statistics Norway
Statistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
from 1946 to 1948, Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping
Minister of Trade and Shipping (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping is a defunct minister who was head of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Shipping between 6 December 1947 and 1 January 1988 when it was merged with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The function of trade has since been transferred to the...
from 1955 to 1962 and later ambassador.
Early life and career
He was born in HortenHorten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the villages of Borre, Åsgårdstrand, Skoppum, and Nykirke....
as a son of Johan Anton Skaug (1881–1956) and Jenny Lovise Olsen (1882–1917). He graduated with the cand.oecon.
Cand.oecon.
Candidatus oeconomices or Candidata oeconomices , often abbreviated cand.oecon. is an academic degree in economics at Danish and Norwegian universities. It is roughly equivalent to a Master of Economics, but it consists of 4+2 years, and was based on a four year cand.mag.. The degree was replaced...
degree in 1930, and was hired as a secretary in Statistics Norway
Statistics Norway
Statistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
in the same year. He continued to work there, except for study leaves from 1935 to 1936 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1935 and 1936 he released two books: Tidens sosialøkonomi and Dør vi ut? Befolkningsspørsmålet og arbeiderbevegelsen, both written together with Aase Lionæs
Aase Lionæs
Aase Lionæs was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.She was born in Oslo.She was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Oslo in 1958, and was re-elected on four occasions...
. In 1939 he was hired in the Ministry of Provisioning
Norwegian Ministry of Provisioning and Reconstruction
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Provisioning and Reconstruction was a Norwegian ministry that existed from 1939 to 1950.It was established on 1 October 1939 as the Ministry of Provisioning, though having no relation to the Ministry of Provisioning which existed from 1916 to 1922. The name was...
, and was a research fellow
Research fellow
The title of research fellow is used to denote a research position at a university or similar institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a principal investigator...
in economics. He then spent the war years in the United States; first with studies from 1939 to 1941 and as assisting professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1941. From 1942 to 1946 he worked for Norwegian government in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Washington DC.
Post-war career
In 1946 he returned to Norway to become the director of Statistics Norway. In May 1948 he left to become State SecretaryState Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the foreign ministry of the Kingdom of Norway...
, becoming the first in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hold the State Secretary position, which had been introduced in 1947. He left this position in February 1949 to become the Norwegian ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. From January 1955 to January 1962 he served as the Minister of Trade and Shipping
Minister of Trade and Shipping (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Shipping is a defunct minister who was head of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Shipping between 6 December 1947 and 1 January 1988 when it was merged with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The function of trade has since been transferred to the...
in Gerhardsen's Third Cabinet. He was also the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs from August to October 1957 and December 1960 to February 1961, when Halvard Lange
Halvard Lange
Halvard Manthey Lange was a Norwegian diplomat, politician and statesman.He became a member of the Norwegian Labour Party in 1927. Two years later, in 1929, he earned a Master of Arts degree...
had absences of leave. He was then the ambassador to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
from 1962 to 1968, and to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
from 1968 to 1974. He died in March 1974.
Skaug was heavily decorated. He was a Commander of the Greek Order of the Phoenix, and held the Grand Cross of the British Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, the Swedish Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
, the Portuguese Order of Christ
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
, the Siamese Order of the White Elephant
Order of the White Elephant
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
, the Persian Order of the Lion and the Sun
Order of the Lion and the Sun
The Order of the Lion and the Sun was instituted by Fat’h Ali Shah of the Qajar Dynasty in 1808 to honour foreign officials who had rendered distinguished services to Persia. In 1925, under the Pahlavi dynasty the Order continued as the Order of Homayoun with new insignia, though based on the...
, the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
, the Belgian Order of the Crown
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
, the Icelandic Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
, the Finnish Order of the Lion
Order of the Lion of Finland
There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland . The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a...
and the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.