Haakon Bingen
Encyclopedia
Haakon Bingen was a Norwegian economist and civil servant.
, and studied economy at the University of Oslo
. When the university was closed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
, he found work in Statistics Norway
. After the war he returned to his studies, graduated with the cand.oecon.
degree in 1946, studied briefly at Harvard University
before being hired in the International Monetary Fund
. Bingen is the father of political scientist Jon Bingen. He died in March 2002 following a short-term illness.
in 1948. He was also a chairman of Sosialistisk Forum and Sosialistiske økonomers forening, and was a central member of Folkebevegelsen mot EF, which rejected Norwegian membership in the European Communities
in 1972. He rather wanted an independent cooperative organization between the Nordic countries
.
In 1949, he was hired as a part-time consultant in the Norwegian Ministry of Finance
. From 1 June 1950 to 1 September 1988 he worked as the secretary for the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
in the Parliament of Norway. At his retirement, the book Med Finanskomiteen i arbeid was published.
In the 1990s, Bingen was involved in an unusual case. He sued the academics Trond Bergh
and Knut Einar Eriksen
as well as the publishing house Cappelen Akademiske Forlag, because the second volume of the work Den hemmelige krigen (The secret war) contained information that portrayed Bingen as a close friend of communist Peder Furubotn
. In late 1999, the Supreme Court of Norway
found that this was not true, and circulation of the book was forbidden, until the reference to Bingen had been amended; in addition Bingen was awarded of costs.
History
He was born in TrøgstadTrøgstad
Trøgstad is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjønhaug. The municipality is divided into the parishes of Trøgstad and Båstad...
, and studied economy at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
. When the university was closed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
, he found work 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...
. After the war he returned to his studies, 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 1946, studied briefly at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
before being hired in the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. Bingen is the father of political scientist Jon Bingen. He died in March 2002 following a short-term illness.
Career
Bingen was a member of the Norwegian Labour PartyNorwegian 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....
in 1948. He was also a chairman of Sosialistisk Forum and Sosialistiske økonomers forening, and was a central member of Folkebevegelsen mot EF, which rejected Norwegian membership in the European Communities
European Communities
The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of institutions...
in 1972. He rather wanted an independent cooperative organization between the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
.
In 1949, he was hired as a part-time consultant in the Norwegian Ministry of Finance
Norwegian Ministry of Finance
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Finance is a Norwegian ministry established in 1814. The ministry is responsible for state finance, including the state budget, taxation and economic policy in Norway. It is led by Sigbjørn Johnsen...
. From 1 June 1950 to 1 September 1988 he worked as the secretary for the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs
The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs is a standing committee of the Parliament of Norway. It is responsible for policies relating to economic policy, monetary and credit policy, the financial and credit system, financial administration, block grants to municipalities and...
in the Parliament of Norway. At his retirement, the book Med Finanskomiteen i arbeid was published.
In the 1990s, Bingen was involved in an unusual case. He sued the academics Trond Bergh
Trond Bergh
Trond Bergh is a Norwegian economic historian.He was born in Tvedestrand, and took the cand.philol. degree at the University of Oslo in 1973...
and Knut Einar Eriksen
Knut Einar Eriksen
Knut Einar Eriksen is a Norwegian historian.He was born in Sarpsborg, and took the cand.philol. degree in 1969. He was an associate professor at the University of Tromsø from 1975 to 1982, and a professor from 1982 to 1986. In 1989 he was appointed as a professor at the University of Oslo...
as well as the publishing house Cappelen Akademiske Forlag, because the second volume of the work Den hemmelige krigen (The secret war) contained information that portrayed Bingen as a close friend of communist Peder Furubotn
Peder Furubotn
Peder Furubotn was a Norwegian cabinetmaker, politician for the Communist Party and resistance member during World War II.-Early and personal life:...
. In late 1999, the Supreme Court of Norway
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
found that this was not true, and circulation of the book was forbidden, until the reference to Bingen had been amended; in addition Bingen was awarded of costs.