[2] It was established in 1921 under the initiative of Erling Falk (1887–1940), partly with origins in the debate forum in the Social Democratic Student Association (Den Socialdemokratiske Studenterforening) at the University of Oslo; partly from a Falk-led study circle which, from 1919, involved Viggo Hansteen, Axel Sømme, and Arnold Hazeland.
Falk aimed to develop a body of students and young workers committed to revolutionary socialism: according to George Lakey, the group "sought to replace middle-class individualism with a collective and disciplined spirit".
Norway's first three post-war Prime Ministers Einar Gerhardsen, Oscar Torp, and John Lyng were all at one point in time part of Mot Dag.
In addition were Gro Harlem Brundtland's father, Secretary of Defence Gudmund Harlem; the Labour Party's longstanding secretary Haakon Lie, Oslo's longstanding mayor Brynjulf Bull, and future West German chancellor Willy Brandt.
Economist and future university professor Johan Vogt, who together with Falk, was behind the first translation of Das Kapital into Norwegian.