Quote:
Originally Posted by Winterfall8324
They never were socialists.
And yet right wingers consider their policies as extremists.
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By US Right Wing standards, they are off-the-charts. They would be considered FAR left if they were here...
I know this very personally as I imported products from Denmark, visited often and dealt on a personal level (they stayed at my house, I stayed at theirs) with Danes.
In a sense I found much of Denmark to be as I think the USA should....if we held to the General Welfare and Happiness of the People.
People can make their own decisions, but here is some of the Danish way:
1. Very high taxations - definitely 50% or more for high incomes.
2. 33-35 hour weeks, unions, full boat health care, maternity leave, 5 weeks (LAW) vacation in addition to many national holidays.
3. Liberal values in terms of tolerance (drugs, non-violent crimes, etc.)
4. Liberal values in the bedroom and in your mind (young drinking age, acceptance of the reality of sex, etc.)
5. National policies which span decades (as opposed to our short-term) in alternative energy, environmental efforts and much more. Righties here would call it "big government"....
6. Heroes are engineers...not a military based culture.
There is no comparison at all - between the Danish Way and the current (average) American Way.
Quick Comments on Heritage and Bernie. Heritage is a billionaire financed think tank that was purchased as a long term way to return more income to millionaires and billionaires. It it no a credible source for anything real....same as Cato (actually OWNED by the Kochs).....
Bernie talks of "Democratic Socialism" which IS largely descriptive of Scandinavia. This is a system where PEOPLE are first and corporations/lobbyist/politicians are there to serve The People.
This differs totally from the USA and our Mother (UK), which are more "class" societies where the very top end rule and the people suffer from their selfish policies.
Note - watching "The Vikings" makes me think that many cultures have to go through their war and inequality and other phases before they get to true peaceful civilization(s). The UK and USA, tho, appear to be somewhat stuck in the war and class phases...
If mankind survives, I expect the USA in 100 years to be where the Danes are now.