Icelandic Commonwealth

The Icelandic Commonwealth refers to the state existing in Iceland between the establishment of the Althing in 930 and the pledge of fealty to the Norwegian king in 1262. It was initially established by a public consisting largely of recent emigrants from Norway who had fled the unification of that country under King Harald Fairhair.

Court System

If a person wanted to appeal a decision made by his goðorð court or if a dispute arose between members of different goðorð, the case would be referred to a system of higher-level courts, leading up to the four regional courts which made up the Althing, which consisted of the goðar of the Four Quarters of Iceland. The Althing eventually created a national "fifth court", as the highest court of all, and more goðar to be its members.

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The Althing was only moderately successful at stopping feuds; Magnus Magnusson calls it "an uneasy substitute for vengeance". Nevertheless, it could act very sweepingly. At the Conversion of Iceland in 1000, the Althing decreed that all Icelanders must be baptized, and forbade the public celebration of pagan rituals. Private celebration was forbidden a few years later.

Related Topics:
Magnus Magnusson - Conversion of Iceland - 1000

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The Commonwealth as an instance of anarcho-capitalism

According to a theory expressed by the economist David Friedman, Icelandic society was anarchic during the 300 years of independence; the Althing was more akin to a chamber of commerce than to the law-making body of a sovereign. If this were an accurate characterization, then Icelandic history would be the closest approach yet made to the Friedmanite ideal of anarcho-capitalism.

Related Topics:
David Friedman - Sovereign - Anarcho-capitalism

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