Nordic countries are not socialist (military, economy, education, retirement)
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Contrary to what we hear from Bernie and other socialists. Most Nordic countries rank very high on the freedom index and are great countries for business.
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One of the most common fallacies of the new populists is to say that their model is the “Nordic” one and that those countries are successful examples of how “socialism works”. When I mentioned it to the Finnish Finance Minister Petteri Orpo at a recent ECR dinner, he could not believe it.
Expropriations, massive tax increases, appropriation of savings and subordinating the growth model to political control is what populists defend. The same as Venezuela, which all of them praised — from Bernie Sanders to Owen Jones or Corbyn and Chomsky — until it collapsed. Then they moved on to the fallacy of “the Nordic model”.
Do you know what interventionists forget about the Nordic nations?
They are leaders in the economic freedom index (Heritage) and ease of doing business according to the World Bank.
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.
Excellent comment, but you are too optimistic. The us/uk model is barely getting started, it would get a lot worst before it gets better. I say 1000 years to get where danes are now.
OK then, we can adopt a Scandinavian-style social welfare system and we still won't be "socialist," plus we'll still "rank very high on the freedom index and [be a] great countr[y] for business." Fair enough?
LOL, I was thinking the same thing - can we have the social safety nets they have - especially the healthcare system they enjoy in Scandinavian countries and you peeps on the right quit b**ching about it being socialist then!
Some people cannot figure out the difference between a socialist state with central planning and a welfare state. Another side effect of the false political dichotomy.
LMAO...Scandinavians consider their states to be steeped in socialist principles.
Ask the Swedish limousine driver that picked up my wife and I at the Port of Goteborg ...you know, the one that told me that he likes his 60% + income tax rate.
Geezus Christ. Go visit a Nordic nation before making dumb threads.
Scandinavian nations are about as cradle to grave socialist as it gets. Anyone saying otherwise is frighteningly delusional.
Not in terms of true socialism, ie the government owning all the industries.
Their social welfare systems are cradle to grave. Their economy is not. If you want to derail right wing group think idiocy pushed by the Heritage Foundation through talk radio and Fox News, you need to be specific.
Geezus Christ. Go visit a Nordic nation before making dumb threads.
Scandinavian nations are about as cradle to grave socialist as it gets. Anyone saying otherwise is frighteningly delusional.
The phrase is "cradle to grave welfare state".
They have such welfare system, mixed with free market economy, as opposed to having the government own businesses, which would be the case in true socialism. I believe that is the point the OP is trying to make. So, no, they are not as socialist as you can get.
LMAO...Scandinavians consider their states to be steeped in socialist principles.
Ask the Swedish limousine driver that picked up my wife and I at the Port of Goteborg ...you know, the one that told me that he likes his 60% + income tax rate.
What in the hell do you call that?
The term should be "collective" principles or "social welfare" principles.
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