Norsefire

Norsefire is the fascist, Nordic-supremacist political party ruling the United Kingdom. A common recurring motto is "Strength Through Unity, Unity Through Faith" Another maxim often used by as a salute is "England Prevails".

Norsefire has primary government divisions with anatomical names:


 * 1) the Hand (the executive),
 * 2) the Finger (the secret police),
 * 3) the Eye (the visual surveillance division),
 * 4) the Ear (the audio surveillance division),
 * 5) the Nose (the police department),
 * 6) the Mouth (the propaganda division, which runs the BTN).

History
The Labour Party won the British general election of 1983 and disarmed all of the United Kingdom's nuclear capabilities. A post-apocalyptic Britain that has narrowly avoided an international nuclear war from 1988 on. Although the United Kingdom did not suffer any nuclear attacks, the effects of full-scale nuclear war on other countries had severe effects on the environment, and thus on agriculture. This in its turn had a knock-on effect on the British economy, and mass riots broke out. The government quickly collapsed and chaos overran the country.

The situation however soured in 1992. From the madness of the violence came the ultra right-wing Norsefire regime: fascists that had united with the surviving big companies and businesses, giving them the appearance of wealth and stability. However, while the Norsefire regime did indeed bring order back to the country, this order came at a cost: ethnic and religious minorities such as Africans, Asians, Jews and Muslims were sent to concentration camps to be exterminated. Other minorities such as homosexuals and immigrants as well as political leftists were also purged from society as Norsefire slowly took over every aspect of Society. With their potential enemies all removed within a short space of time, Norsefire began consolidating their power over the country. They began to sink their influence into the Church of England, giving it more power and influence. They began promoting and demoting members of the clergy as they saw fit. They also took over the television companies, creating NTV (Norsefire Television), and implemented the technologies that would allow for a closely-monitored society, including closed-circuit television. The British monarchy continues under Queen Zara.

Norsefire eventually shut down the concentration camps after it essentially had complete control of society. Although competition exists between the varying branches of the state, they generally have complete control over the United Kingdom. The head of the party is Leader Adam Susan, a self-proclaimed fascist who seems to worship Fate, the super-computer surveillance system that oversees the nation. However a masked vigilante only known as V began assassinating high ranking member's of government slowly destabilising Norsefire rule in Britain. As riots rocked the streets Susan declared martial law but was assassinated by the wife of one of his former minsters, Peter Creedy declared himself "emergency commander" but was himself later assassinated. With all top officials of the party and government dead Norsefire collapsed and Britain fell inti Anarchy.

Film portrayal
In place of the nuclear war of the novel version, biological weapons are used instead. In the film a devastating plague known as the St. Marys Virus kills 100,000 people in England, the Norsefire party; a racist, fascist white supremist political party runs on the platform of order and security and wins the general election with a 83% victory. Immediately after the election a cure is discovered for the virus and several religious extremist are arrested and executed after an confession, with the party firmly in power it begins its purge on England arresting all that oppose Norsefire politically while rounding up every homosexual, African, Muslin, Asian, Jew and immigrant they could find and sending them to centration camps. Adam Sutler (the film version of Adam Susan) was then elected to the new office of High Chancellor. However it is later revelled that the Norsefire party had a major role in the St. Marys virus, in fact creating it and realising it at a water treatment plant, a tube station and a primary school as to scare the population into electing them.

But after nearly a decade of power the Government begins to see revolt against its rule after V blows up the old bailey. He then hijacks Jordan tower and broadcasts a video of himself urging England to stand with him next November 4th. V then distributes Guy Fawkes masks across London as November 4th approaches, chancellor Sutlers order the military to move in to London and all citizens wearing the mask arrested but when a little girl is shot by a Fingerman when wearing a mask riots and protests erupted across England. Both Chancellor Sutler and Peter Creedy are assassinated and with no top government official giving orders the military stands down as the population stand outside parliament as it blows up.

The rest of the world is only passingly mentioned, although it is stated in several news reports that at least the United States (referred to as the "former United States," not unlike "the former Soviet Union") has fallen upon desperate times. According to BTN news broadcasts it is mentioned that the U.S. has become so desperate for medical supplies that it has sent Britain a tremendous amount of grain and tobacco in a bid for aid, and at least by the end of the movie has broken out into its second civil war, although these may be propaganda pieces. It is also unclear whether or not Norsefire controls only England, or whether it also controls the whole country, or even if Britain is still a part of the Commonwealth of Nations. Norsefire's propaganda and the way Eric Finch is mocked by Creedy for having an Irish mother seem to suggest British or Nordic superiority (Storm Saxon, "England Prevails"). (Creedy mentions a devastating outbreak of the Norsefire biological weapon in Ireland, though this may have been accidental.)

Symbol
In the book, a blue "N" on a black flag is the symbol of the party. An "N" or "NF" are the only party symbols shown. Yet, as mentioned above, the first issue's cover also features a Greek or Latin cross merged into a pair of wings rising from red flames. This could symbolize the "rise" of Britain from the ashes similar to that of a Phoenix. It is notable that this symbol also uses the British national colours, red, white and blue.

In the film, the Norsefire symbol resembles the Croix de Lorraine. The symbol is shown on flags, police badges, coat of arms, tanks, and army beret badges. Two versions exist, one with a red cross on a black background and another with a black cross on a red background.

Trivia
While neither Moore nor Lloyd have said why they chose "Norsefire" as the name for his ruling party (sometimes simply called "the Party") it could be a possible reference to similar entities, like the National Front, who have used the initials "NF" and a flaming torch as their logo. The National Front were particularly strong in the early 1980s, and their paper is called The Flame.