140th birthday anniversary of Jónas Jónsson from Hrifla

We remember the 140th anniversary of the birth of Jónas Jónsson from Hriflu, who was one of the most influential politicians and thinkers of Iceland in his time. Jónas from Hriflu, as he is commonly called, was a leading force in the Progressive Party and played a key role during tumultuous times in the Icelandic nation. Jónas was a symbol and the face of the party in the minds of Icelanders in the 20th century.

Jónas from Hriflu

Jónas Jónsson was born in Bárðardal in 1885, on May 1st. He grew up with agricultural work on the farm Hrifla, his childhood home, and there personally experienced the living conditions and challenges faced by Icelandic farmers and the working class at that time. Despite poor conditions, Jónas sought education. He studied both in Denmark and England. His educational path was somewhat unconventional but shaped him and led to his burning interest in the development of Icelandic society. After completing his studies, Jónas returned home full of ideas about social progress and advancement. He began working as a teacher and scholar and immediately made his voice heard in discussions about national economic issues.

The founding of the Progressive Party and political lines laid

The political legacy of Jónas from Hriflu spans many aspects of society and can be defined as a radical reformer. Jónas Jónsson was born around the same time that the cooperative idea took root here. He embraced it early on. In his eyes, the cooperative movement was the main support of the social democratic society. “The founding of the Progressive Party was directly organized by him,” said Jón Sigurðsson in Ystafell about Jónas Jónsson from Hriflu. The Progressive Party was founded on December 16, 1916. Additionally, he was one of the pioneers in the establishment of the Icelandic Labour Union and the Labour Party in the autumn of 1916. Jónas had a very clear vision of how the political landscape should be in Iceland at that time. He believed that what would suit Iceland best was a “normal party division,” i.e., a tripartite division into a conservative party, a liberal party, and a socialist party.

The political career of Jónas

Jónas began working with the Progressive Party and was the driving force behind the establishment of the newspaper Tíminn on March 17, 1917. Jónas was elected to the Althing for the Progressive Party in 1922. Jónas was known for his strong views and powerful speeches in which he advocated for social justice, education for the public, and full independence for Iceland. In 1927, he became the Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs in the government and held that position until 1932. As a leader of the Progressive Party, Jónas shaped the policy during these tumultuous times. He was the party chairman from 1934 to 1944 and guided the Progressives through the years of crisis and the Second World War. During this time, the party established itself as one of the cornerstones of Icelandic politics.

The education of the nation

The education of the nation was especially important to Jónas, as was the development of the education system. He had a significant role in the establishment and strengthening of many educational institutions. These include the Menntaskólinn in Akureyri, the Menntaskólinn in Laugarvatn, the Cooperative School, and the Héraðsskólinn in Laugum. He also served for a time as the principal of the Cooperative School, an educational institution of the cooperative movement. The housing issues for the University of Iceland were also important to him, and at the beginning of the fourth decade, he advocated for the enactment of laws that allowed the construction of a new university building. Through this, Jónas contributed to increasing education both in urban and rural areas, in accordance with his conviction that knowledge and progress should reach all citizens of the country.

Cultural issues always significant

Cultural issues were always a priority for him. He was a staunch advocate for the Icelandic language, literature, and the arts and emphasized that the culture of the nation was based on a national foundation. Jónas was often critical of artists or trends in culture that he deemed too foreign or contrary to the traditions of the nation. His disputes with various scholars and writers attracted considerable attention at the time, as some thought Jónas was going too far in cultural matters. However, he actively worked to strengthen the framework for cultural issues, including the Cultural Fund, the establishment of the National Broadcasting Service, grants for artists from the state treasury, and the proposal for the establishment of a National Theatre.

Final words

Now, 140 years after the birth of Jónas from Hriflu, it can be seen that much of his vision for the future has become a reality and has contributed to strengthening Icelandic society. Of course, time has also brought changes to society that Jónas could hardly have foreseen, but his fundamental themes of education, cooperation, and national self-respect can still be discerned today. The legacy of Jónas thus lives on well and reminds us of the importance of a vision for the future and ideals in building the nation. It can be said that Jónas's influence on Icelandic society during a vital formative period has few parallels.

Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Vice Chair of the Progressive Party and former Minister of Education and Culture.

The article was first published in Morgunblaðið on May 1, 2025.