Law of Jante

The Law of Jante is a fictional code of conduct, invented by Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose, whose name is now used colloquially for disapproval of individuality and personal success. Sandemose first formulated it as ten rules in his satirical 1933 novel A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks, set in the fictional town of Jante, modelled on his native Nykøbing Mors. Although intended as criticism, some critics in the 1990s argued the law had shifted to refer to personal criticism of people who want to rise above their social group. Kim Orlin Kantardjiev, a Norwegian politician and educational advisor, claims the law is taught in schools as a social code encouraging group behavior, and credits it with fueling Nordic countries' high happiness scores.