European Students for Liberty held their annual conference, LibertyCon, in Madrid on 24–26 April 2026, where RNH Academic Director, Hannes H. Gissurarson, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Iceland, presented a new book that he has edited and introduced, Conservative-Liberal Thought in the Nordic Countries, 946–1945: An Anthology. It is 468 pages long, of which Hannes’ introduction is 267 pages. It was published by the think tank New Direction in Brussels.

The book’s first selections are from the writings of Icelandic historians Ari the Learned and Snorri Sturluson. In a famous speech at the Icelandic Parliament in the year 1000, the Lawspeaker, Thorgeir from Brightlake District, emphasised, according to Ari the Learned, that the Icelanders had no king but the law, unlike the other Nordic nations where kings waged endless wars and imposed heavy taxes. The same theme was found in Snorri’s account of another famous speech, by the farmer Einar from Thverá at the Parliament in the year 1024. In Snorri’s Heimskringla, the history of the Norwegian kings, two ancient Germanic principles are taken for granted: government by consent and the right of rebellion. Later, the English philosopher John Locke built a systematic defence of liberty on those two principles.

Hannes said that the three most remarkable Nordic conservative-liberal thinkers were Snorri, the Swedish pastor and politician Anders Chydenius, and the Danish pastor and poet N. F. S. Grundtvig. In 1765, Chydenius had anticipated the two powerful ideas articulated eleven years later in Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations: that one man’s profit need not be another man’s loss; and that order could arise spontaneously, without commands. In the nineteenth century, Grundtvig had argued, much in the same manner as the French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, for free associations that could serve as both guardians and outlets for individuals, such as congregations, people’s high schools, various societies, collectives, cooperatives, and private companies.

The audience included the Icelandic Ambassador to Spain, Kristján Andri Stefánsson, and a lively discussion followed Hannes’ talk. The Czech student Jonáš Kurus asked about the connection of religion to the Germanic political tradition. Hannes replied that the roots of Germanic tribal self-government were pre-Christian, just as the Roman chronicler Tacitus had described in the first century AD. Admittedly, a principle of Roman law was that what affected all should be decided by all, Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus approbetur, but this had not been a general principle as in the customary law of the Germanic tribes. However, St. Thomas Aquinas accepted the right to rebel if and when kings became tyrants. Natural law in the Thomist tradition certainly had acted as a restraint on kings, but not to the same extent as Germanic customary law.

From left: Hannes, Breki, Schweiger and Tyler.

The German student Anne Struffmann asked what other nations could learn from the Nordic example. Hannes replied that the relative success of the Nordic countries was not because, but in spite of, social democracy. The Nordic heritage of liberty had been strong enough to withstand both the past assaults by kings invoking the grace of God and the modern assaults by social democrats invoking the will of the People. The success of the Nordic countries rested, Hannes said, on three pillars: the rule of law, including strong protection of private property rights, free trade, and social cohesion, which implied a robust civic spirit. But such a social cohesion could not be constructed. It developed over a long time, through compromises and mutual adjustments.  Nevertheless, newly liberated nations in the South could learn from Grundtvig to try and transform peasants into responsible citizens and the masses into self-conscious nations by means of people’s high schools.

Other speakers at the conferences included three friends of Iceland who have often visited: Professor David D. Friedman, Dr. Tom G. Palmer 0f the Atlas Network, and Robert Tyler of New Direction. They have all studied the Icelandic chronicles and sagas. The conference was attended by two other Icelanders, Lukas Schweiger, former Chairman of European Students for Liberty, and Breki Atlason, the Icelandic coordinator of European Students for Liberty.

On 26 April 2026, the Brussels think tank New Direction published a book, edited and introduced by RNH Academic Director, Hannes H. Gissurarson, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Iceland, Conservative-Liberal Thought in the Nordic Countries 946–1945: An Anthology. The authors of the selections are the three Icelandic chroniclers Ari the Learned Thorgilsson, Snorri Sturluson, and an anonymous author of the ‘Tale of Halldór Snorrason’; the Danish bishop Gunnar of Viborg, author of the Preamble to the Law of Jutland; Danish King Eric Clipping (unwillingly), signatory to the royal charter of 1281; the Swedish bishop Thomas Simonsson, author of a poem on freedom; the Swedish polymath Olaus Petri, author of ‘Rules for Judges’; the Swedish pastor and politician Anders Chydenius, author of pamphlets in support of free trade and freedom of expression; the Swedish poet and professor of history Erik Gustaf Geijer, author of poems and essays on individual freedom and spontaneous order; the Danish pastor and poet N. F. S. Grundtvig, author of poems and speeches in support of liberal nationalism and civic education; the Swedish professor of economics Gustav Cassel, author of a forceful attack on central economic planning; the Danish professor of economics Jens Warming, a pioneer in resource economics and welfare economics; the Swedish professor of economics Eli F. Heckscher, author of a thoughtful critique of central economic planning; the Swedish law professor Nils Herlitz, author of an article on the Nordic legal heritage; the Danish law professor Poul Andersen, author of an article defending freedom of expression; and the Norwegian economist and journalist Trygve Hoff, arguing for the competitive economy.

The oldest event described in the book took place in 946, when Norwegian King Haakon the Good returned to his subjects the land that his father, King Harold Fairhair, had expropriated, and promised to uphold the ancient law of the land, which could be traced back thousands of years to the customary law of the Germanic tribes, as described by the Roman chronicler Tacitus. The most recent event was in 1945, when Danish communists tried to restrict freedom of expression just to those who accepted democratic values, while Poul Andersen recalled Grundtvig’s exclamation that freedom was for Loki as well as for Thor. Snorri Sturluson, Anders Chydenius, and N. F. S. Grundtvig contribute most to the anthology, which contains 468 pages, of which 267 pages are the introduction.

Brazil’s southernmost state is Rio Grande do Sul, whose capital is Porto Alegre on the South Atlantic Ocean. In the state, young entrepreneurs, investors, and businessmen form an association that annually holds a well-attended conference, Fórum da liberdade (Liberty Forum), where speakers from around the world discuss economic freedom and free enterprise.

At the 2026 Liberty Forum, RNH Academic Director, Hannes H. Gissurarson, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Iceland, presented on 9 April a forthcoming book that he edits and introduces, Conservative-Liberal Thought in the Nordic Countries, 946–1945: An Anthology. It is 468 pages, of which 267 are his introduction. The first selections from the writings of Nordic authors are by the Icelandic chroniclers Ari the Learned and Snorri Sturluson, and the last ones by the Norwegian economist Trygve Hoff and the Danish law professor Poul Andersen. The anthology is published by the Brussels think tank New Direction.

In his talk in Porto Alegre, Hannes Gissurarson said that the success of the Nordic countries was despite, and not because of, social democracy. Its three main explanations were: a strong tradition of the rule of law; a firm commitment to free trade; and social cohesion, reflected in a high level of trust. Hannes also suggested an explanation of the tradition of hard work in the Nordic countries (possibly now being eroded by sloth, made possible by generous welfare benefits). It is that, over the centuries, the Nordic nations had to prepare for and endure harsh winters through hard work, unable to collect low-hanging fruit from trees in milder climates.

Oddsson addressing in 2016 a meeting celebrating 25 years since Iceland renewed her recognition of the Baltic countries.

The most successful Icelandic politician of all time, Davíd Oddsson, passed away on 1 March 2026. He was Mayor of Reykjavik for 9 years, Prime Minister for almost 14 years, Foreign Minister for a year, Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland for four years, and Chief Editor of Morgunbladid, the only remaining daily in Iceland, for almost 17 years, from 2009 to his death. No Icelandic politician has done more to increase individual freedom and protect citizens’ rights against the state. On the day of Davíd’s funeral, 13 March, Morgunbladid printed many articles about him, including a long one by one of his closest friends, Hannes H. Gissurarson, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Iceland. Hannes offered three explanations of Davíd’s great success as a politician. First, the circumstances worked in his favour, he was the right man at the right time, riding on the same wave as Thatcher in Great Britain and Reagan in the United States. Secondly, his political views were deeply rooted in the Icelandic national spirit; he was an extraordinary man with ordinary beliefs. Thirdly, he had the personal qualities of an effective politician. He had great charisma, and he was, in Machiavelli’s phrase, brave as a lion and sly as a fox. From the beginning, he was seen as a born leader. Hannes also published two articles in The Conservative on Davíd, an obituary, and a defence of his legacy on the occasion of leftist attacks.

Davíd was given a full state funeral in Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, with a sermon delivered by the Rev. Geir Waage (the father-in-law of Davíd’s son Thorsteinn, a judge in the Reykjavík District Court). The ten pallbearers were (from right): Davíd’s loyal supporter, businessman Kjartan Gunnarsson; Davíd’s schoolmate and friend, the poet Thórarinn Eldjárn; Davíd’s loyal supporter, businessman Thórólfur Gíslason; Davíd’s colleague at Morgunbladid, Editor Haraldur Johannessen; Hannes H. Gissurarson; the surgeon Eiríkur Jónsson, who successfully treated Davíd for cancer; Davíd’s former adviser on international affairs, Albert Jónsson; Davíd’s cousin, Supreme Court Judge Ólafur Börkur Thorvaldsson; Central Bank Governor Dr. Ásgeir Jónsson; and Davíd’s loyal supporter, businessman Gunnlaugur Sævar Gunnlaugsson. Immediately following them were Davíd’s widow, Ástrídur Thorarensen, and their son, Thorsteinn Davídsson.

On 9 March 2026, 250 years had passed since Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was first published. On this occasion, the Adam Smith Institute in London held a meeting which was attended by RNH Academic Director Hannes H. Gissurarson, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Iceland. There, he greeted the two founders and former leaders of the Adam Smith Institute, Dr. Eamonn Butler and Dr. Madsen Pirie, who have both visited Iceland to give lectures. Subsequently, Hannes wrote an article about the Wealth of Nations for the online magazine The Conservative where he pointed out that many of the ideas found in the book had been around for a long time, but that it was Adam Smith who organised them into a coherent and powerful system, on which the whole discipline of economics was built. The two most important ideas in the Wealth of Nations were still not understood by many: that one man’s profit need not be another man’s loss, and that order could arise without commands. When people tried to promote their interests, they could end up promoting the public interest, because they had to offer better goods or services than their competitors. Adam Smith’s theories had been resoundingly confirmed by experience. There was a strong correlation between economic freedom and high living standards.

The Brussels think tank New Direction held a dinner in Rome on 11 December 2025, during which the Margaret Thatcher Awards were presented. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received one of the awards and made a powerful speech in English about her ideas and inspirations, without any notes. Unquestioningly, Meloni is becoming the leading European conservative politician. RNH Academic Director, Professor Emeritus Hannes H. Gissurarson, attended the dinner and wrote two articles in The Conservative about it.

In the first article, Hannes commented on the names on a board at the entrance, each the nominal head of a table at the dinner. They gave a good idea of who inspires the contemporary conservative movement. There were six politicians on the list: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Polish President Lech Kaczyński, German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and Polish Marshal and Prime Minister Józef Piłsudski. Two other individuals on the board, Pope John Paul II and American writer William Buckley, might perhaps also be considered politicians. Hannes wrote that he had only met one of the eight, Thatcher, several times.

The writers in the group were Joseph de Maistre, Roger Scruton, Friedrich von Hayek, Edmund Burke, Giuseppe Prezzolini, Giacomo Leopardi, Milton Friedman, Benedetto Croce, Ludwig von Mises, Thomas Sowell, Alexis de Tocqueville, Mihai Eminescu, and Alessandro Manzoni. Hannes admitted that he had never before heard of Prezzolini and Eminescu, but that he was familiar with the works of Maistre, Burke, Leopardi, Croce, Mises, Tocqueville, and Manzoni. He had briefly met Scruton and Sowell at conferences, but he had been fortunate enough to get to know Hayek and Friedman quite well. He had arranged their visits to Iceland: Hayek came in 1980 and Friedman in 1984, and they both made a great impact. Personally, he would have liked to see Luigi Einaudi on the board rather than Benedetto Croce, and he regarded Maistre more as a reactionary than a real conservative.

The second article was about three Icelanders who had travelled to Rome. The first was Gudrid Thorbjornsdaughter, who led a remarkable life. Born in Iceland, she went in the 990s to Greenland, where she married. She and her husband went to what is now called North America in 1008 and tried to settle there. She gave birth to a son in America, the first child of European descent in America. Later, the family returned to Iceland and settled there. After Gudridur became a widow, she went on a pilgrimage to Rome around 1030. She was probably the most widely-travelled individual of her time. The second traveller to Rome was the poet Einar Benediktsson in 1903. He composed the poem ‘An Evening in Rome’ where he contrasted the glory of the Roman Republic with the corruption under the emperors, but also marvelled at the great cultural heritage the Romans left. The third traveller was Jón Thorláksson in 1923, on a belated honeymoon with his wife. He was a civil engineer who eventually became Iceland’s prime minister and leader of the conservative-liberal Independence Party. As he looked at the ruins of the Forum Romanum, he was on the verge of tears at the destruction of the once-proud city. Hannes H. Gissurarson wrote the biography of Jón Thorláksson, published in 1992.

From left: Mitchell, Hannes, Tyler, and Fund.

At the dinner, Hannes was seated with three friends of Iceland who have often visited, Robert Tyler of New Direction, John Fund of National Review, and Dr. Dan Mitchell of Freedom and Prosperity Foundation. Others winners of the Margaret Thatcher Awards included Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of the Belarus opposition, Lord Michael Gove and French philosopher Rémi Brague. In Rome, Hannes also met with Sigmundur Davíd Gunnlaugsson, Chairman of the Icelandic Centre Party, and representatives of the Party’s youth wing that were attended a training camp run by Giorgia Meloni’s party, Fratelli d’Italia. The Centre Party is probably going to join the European Conservatives and Reformists, ECR. Previously, the Independence Party was a member, but it now has left the ECR and joined the European People’s Party, EPP. Hannes, Sigmundur Davíd, and the young Centre Party people had a good time in Rome, at the historic Harry’s Bar on Via Veneto and in other places.