Norway, the socialist utopia so revered by the progressive left, is at it again. Their latest policy gimmick? A lottery system to provide tax breaks to randomly chosen Millennials and Gen Z citizens, an experiment that reeks of desperation, wasteful social engineering, and a glaring misunderstanding of basic economic principles. As President Trump continues to revive American manufacturing, secure our southern border, and champion real tax reform here at home, the Norwegian experiment offers a cautionary tale.
According to Newsweek, Norway’s government plans to randomly select 100,000 citizens born between 1990 and 2005—spanning older Millennials and younger Gen Z—to receive an annual tax cut of approximately $2,700. The experiment is projected to last three to five years and aims to examine whether lower taxes will boost employment among young Norwegians. Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Labor Minister Tonje Brenna have spearheaded this initiative, hoping to address labor shortages and ballooning social welfare costs.
But here’s the problem: tax policy is not a game show, and economic prosperity doesn’t hinge on blind luck. This approach is classic leftist thinking—pick winners and losers arbitrarily, ignore individual merit and effort, and hope the numbers magically turn around. It’s the same ideological trap that Joe Biden and his Democrat cronies fell for, leaving President Trump to clean up the mess.
Norway already has one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, valued at an astounding $1.8 trillion. Yet, instead of leveraging these resources to encourage organic economic growth through deregulation, entrepreneurship, or incentives for businesses, the Norwegian government chooses to conduct social experiments at taxpayer expense. Reuters estimates the annual cost of this program at around $49 million—money that could be better spent or, better yet, returned directly to taxpayers.
Let’s be clear: tax cuts, when applied properly and universally, work wonders. President Trump’s landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act revitalized American manufacturing, unleashed job growth, and put more money back into the pockets of hardworking citizens. It succeeded not because of random selection, but because it was built on sound economic principles—rewarding productivity, investment, and innovation.
Compare this to Norway’s random chance experiment. How does arbitrarily selecting a small segment of the population for tax relief encourage broad economic participation? How does it incentivize productivity or ambition? It doesn’t. Instead, it breeds resentment and division. Imagine working hard, paying your fair share, only to see your neighbor receive a tax cut based solely on luck. This policy undermines the very foundation of meritocracy and fairness that has made America the economic powerhouse it is under President Trump’s leadership.
Norway is not alone in this misguided approach. Portugal and France have also dabbled in targeted tax breaks for younger demographics. Portugal exempts young professionals earning up to $32,000 annually from income tax in their first year of employment, and France offers tax incentives to citizens returning from abroad. But these targeted initiatives pale in comparison to comprehensive, across-the-board tax cuts that foster growth for all, not just select groups.
Even Norway’s former Finance Minister, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum, understood the value of universal tax relief. In 2024, Vedum raised Norway’s tax-free allowance to approximately $9,500, stating clearly, “We want young people to work without being burdened by taxes.” This straightforward approach, unlike random selection, rewards work and initiative equally for all.
The experiment’s stated goal—to measure if tax deductions boost youth employment—misses the broader point. Selective tax benefits create artificial incentives that cannot be sustained. Real economic growth comes from policies that foster a free market environment, encourage innovation, and reward hard work across the board.
President Trump’s America First agenda has proven that when you cut taxes across the board, eliminate burdensome regulations, and unleash the entrepreneurial spirit, prosperity follows. Norway’s convoluted experiment should serve as a warning, a glaring example of the pitfalls of socialist economic tinkering.
America doesn’t need random lotteries or social experiments. Under President Trump, we’ve seen what works: secure borders, reinvigorated manufacturing, fair trade deals, and universal tax relief. Let’s leave economic roulette to Norway and continue embracing policies that reward hard work, innovation, and merit for all Americans.
Comments are closed.