Johan Sverdrup is the man to be saluted here. He was the fourth Prime Minster of Norway, and the first to have the job after the introduction of Parliamentarianism. Sverdrup had the job from 1884 to 1889.
It wasn't an easy time to be a legislator in Norway. The government was trying to figure out its new political relationship with the King, and there were plenty of disagreements along the way. Sverdrup often couldn't get his political allies to follow him, and it seems he resigned in frustration.
Still, Sverdrup is still remembered for his role in the process. His most lasting legacy is an odd one. A major oil field in the North Sea is named after him. There's a few billion barrels under the ground there, and Norway has started to pull it up. The government puts the proceeds of all such exploration into a special fund for rainy days, and it has become a giant economic engine for investment in companies all of the world. Therefore, Sverdrup has a connection to Norway's well-being even today.
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