Editing Nasjonal Samling (section)

=== Pre-war politics ===
[[File:Vidkun Quisling på talerstolen, ukjent datering. (8616425227).jpg|left|thumb|Vidkun Quisling on the podium during a party meeting in the 1930s.]]
The party never gained direct political influence, but it made its mark on Norwegian politics nonetheless. Despite the fact that it never managed to get more than 2.5% of the vote and failed to elect even one candidate to the [[Storting]], it became a factor by polarising the political scene.<ref>Tor Myklebost, ''They Came as Friends'' (1943), p. 43</ref> The established parties in Norway viewed it as a Norwegian version of the German [[Nazi Party|Nazis]], and generally refused to cooperate with it in any way. Several of its marches and rallies before the war were either banned, or marred by violence when communists and socialists clashed with the Hird.

A significant trait of the party throughout its existence was a relatively high level of internal conflict. [[Antisemitism]], [[anti-Masonry]] and differing views on religion, as well as the party's association with the Nazis and [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], were hotly debated, and factionalized the party. By the time the [[World War II|Second World War]] broke out, the party had around 2,000 members.<ref>[https://www.norgeshistorie.no/andre-verdenskrig/1701-ns-medlemmene-hvem-var-de.html NS-medlemmene: Hvem var de?] ''Norgeshistorie''</ref>

Strong belief in [[Romantic nationalism]] and [[authoritarianism]] dominated the NS ideology. It also relied heavily on Nordic symbolism in its propaganda and speeches. It asserted that its symbol (shown at the head of this article), a golden [[sun cross]] on a red background (colours of the [[coat of arms of Norway]]), had been the symbol of [[Olaf II of Norway|St. Olaf]], painted on his shield.<ref>John Randolph Angolia, David Littlejohn, C. M. Dodkins, ''Edged weaponry of the Third Reich'' (1974), p. 133</ref>