Convincing Explanation

Reading Tore Gjelsvik's highly instructive account of the infrastructure and operations of social resistance--Norwegian Resistance 1940-1945--I am struck by the one factor of our weakness and its explanation. They had exceptionally committed individuals whose sole focus was in supplying food, transportation, and money to those on the front line of resistance in communications, intelligence, organizing, and training.

The people who kept up social morale and unity by helping develop widespread understanding of the situation thus had economic support to carry on their work. Everything else in the resistance depended on it, and because this was understood by top resistance leaders like the attorney Jens Christian Hauge, financiers and lawyers were tasked with raising revenue.

Presently, we are hampered by a dearth of resources in part because that realization has not yet dawned on those who mostly do not view our situation as one of resistance, but rather reform. To surmount this obstacle, we need committed advocates who will raise revenues while we raise consciousness.