Should the U.S. Look More Like Scandinavia?
Here’s a hot topic: democratic socialism. I hope you’ll check out the video linked above, and let these thoughts percolate in your mind for a few minutes.
Americans hate paying taxes, but maybe because we get so little benefit from government. What would it be like if government provided us real value, like free healthcare, excellent public schools, free college and affordable day care?
We’re used to saying that socialism (in any form) “doesn’t work.” Yet that’s obviously false, and all you need to do to prove that to yourself is look at the world around you.
Here’s what really doesn’t work, and it’s manifested in the current-day America: 40.6 million people living in poverty, 12.2% of adults without healthcare (which will skyrocket when the individual mandate goes away in 2019), 120,000 homeless veterans, and so many other utterly indefensible aspects of life in the world’s richest country.
Needless to say, mainstream politics in the United States is moving in precisely the opposite direction. Today’s moderate Democrats are where Republicans were 30 years ago, and today’s Republicans are so far to the right that they’re no longer on the chart. Centrist GOP ideals: anti-abortion, tolerance of white supremacy, climate change denial, anti-science more broadly, insertion of Christianity into government, anti-gay rights, anti-environment regulation, anti-public schools, tax cuts for the rich, and the mass devastation of social services would have been unthinkable a few decades ago, a time in which when Richard Nixon established the EPA.
Perhaps the most shocking element of all of this is the tolerance for a U.S. president who, among other things, is obviously a pathological liar. That an entire political party can endorse this level of brazen, psychopathic dishonesty says all one needs to know about the American zeitgeist.
Now, will there be a backlash, brought on by people of compassion and decency? I’d sure like to think so.
Craig,
You seem to be very confused as to the true state of European politics.
The first indication is of your confusion is the delightful young lady in the photo, seems to be either a patriot, or at least a fan, of Germany. not Sweden !
Nor is the Kingdom of Sweden the happy Socialist nation of your dreams.
I’ve never been sure of exactly what “democratic socialism” really means. I guess it’s a sort of compromise, or watered down version, of “socialism”. The Socialist Manifesto calls for complete Nationalization of the means of Production, Distribution and Exchange, but I guess that’s to radical for today’s leftists, who only want to dabble a bit!
Sweden is a small nation of only 10 million people with a Constitutional Monarchy system of representative parliamentary democracy.
Sweden benefited greatly from being neutral in both World Wars. However, Sweden did enthusiastically ship steel, machine parts, food and weapons while conducting a lucrative trade with NAZI Germany, both before and during the war.
Despite this trade, at the conclusion of WW2, Sweden was an eager beneficiary of Marshall plan aid to restart the economy. .
Following WW2 Sweden became a poster child for a highly developed form of ‘Welfare State’ with subsidized healthcare, high taxation, social services etc. Sweden benefited from low expenditure on defense (Ironically, Sweden is a major arms exporter).
The economy underwent a severe crises in the 1980’s which saw many of these programs abandoned or drastically reduced. During the 1990’s Sweden went trough a period of financial collapse, and was only rescued by the election of successive Centre-right governments abandoning policies of funding employment and welfare at all costs, to anti-inflationary, austerity measures, including drastic cuts in social welfare along with privatization of government owned assets and industries.
After several years of bitter internal political conflict, and rioting, even the centre-left parties yielded their idealism and 2015 and supported anti-migration laws. These new regulations closed effectively borders and the nation began deporting illegal and undesirable migrants.
In 2017 Sweden reintroduced military conscription.
The collapse (or sale to avoid bankruptcy) of many Swedish business Icons, such as SAAB and Volvo (now owed by Chinese manufacturer Geely) has further eroded Swedish investor confidence.
Sweden’s economy still lacks the important small business sector and the economy still has an undesirable, over reliance on large, knowledge-intensive export-oriented manufacturers, and a large burdensome public service sector.
You will be surprised to learn that Sweden has been vigorously pursuing tax reform. Increasingly, drastic reductions in personal and corporate income tax (especially for the wealthy) has seen the economy start to grow.
Cuts or freezes are also occurring in the once super-generous welfare system. This is causing a sense of betrayal in the elderly, especially toward centre-left party politicians who once promised a “cradle to the grave” welfare state !
I’m afraid your knowledge of Sweden is decades out of date ! Sweden’s “Social Democracy” dream is much faded, and increasingly illusory.
Craig,
Oh, I thought I’d just mention,… the rate of ‘happy’ Swedes committing suicide is traditionally significantly higher than the USA ! (must be all those depressing movies)
Sweden is also less law abiding than the USA ! The number one difference is the high rate of rape in Sweden. The violent crimes rate (including rape) per million people of Sweden is twice that of the United States! (although gun crime is much lower).
The average American earns a little more after tax than the average Swede, but the cost of living in the USA is nearly 45% less, including the cost of healthcare.
Basic utility rates in Sweden appear slightly cheaper (Garbage, water, heating, electricity ) but the discrepancy is due to Swedish statistics being based on a 85 sqm apartment with one occupant, as opposed to the US statistic being based on a three bedroom 28 sqm house with 4 occupants.
Interesting how perceptions never seem to tally with reality !