CNN: Should America try to be like Scandinavia? (independent, compared, economy)

[BMORE]

Should America try to be like Scandinavia? – Global Public Square - CNN.com Blogs

This topic has been discussed time and time again on this site, rather America should continue on the path it is or become more of a social democracy or in other words similar to Scandinavia nations. I've been vocal on this site in telling why we should follow some of their model because let's face it, it works but certain aspects of our model works better than there's. Example, I believe it's easier to become wealthy in America in comparison to Sweden. But on the flip side of that, I'm positive the average income is higher in those nations (gross pay) when compared to ours. So it really all depends on this, would you prefer more individualism when it comes to being wealthy, middle class, etc or would you be satisfied being middle class all of your life?

Can't We All Be More Like Scandinavians? Asymmetric Growth and Institutions in an Interdependent World by Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson, Thierry Verdier :: SSRN
If you'd like to read more into the paper where CNN is sourcing this information from, you can click on the link above and download the paper.

SN: CNN has a program that will come on at 10 am Sunday or 1 PM ET that I'm guessing will compare our model to theirs.

So after this program airs, we all (conservatives, republicans, independents, libertarians, democrats, liberals) come to this thread and discuss what we saw in a kind light. I'm sure there will be disagreements on certain things but we do need to see what their model is doing right and adapt some of what they have here if possible.

[victorianpunk]

[Grim Reader]

I've lived and worked in Scandinavia. Thing is, the Scandinavian setting is at a different..."island of stability" than the American setting.

There are some things the Scandinavians do that America could learn from. Refusing to learn from others means failiure is coming, wheter you are a person or a country. But many things are interlocking, and would need to be imported as a block of practices. And doing that with a population that is accustomed to a different setup, historically normally happens only after a massive disaster, like a lost war or economic collapse.

But there are some things that could be learned from.

[alphamale]

I like their immigration policies.

They do not import poverty, as we do. (it is very difficult to become a resident, let alone a citizen)

They have a system where EVERYONE contributes to the system. (many American recipient class people would say "no thank you....wheres my check?")

[EdwardA]

We have too much dead weight it simply cannot happen here.

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

We have too much dead weight it simply cannot happen here.

Lefties don't see this as a problem.

[wutitiz]

First of all, the scandinavian countries have much better education systems than we do, especially Finland, which routinely finishes at the top of all categories of PISA rankings. Sweden has had a voucher system since 1992. Norway generally falls behind both, but still ahead of the US, and after all Norway has its oil weath to fall back upon.

So much of the economy now is predicated on education, that a comparison becomes tough. We have fully socialized, unionized education, (aside from the fact that private education is available for those essentially willing to pay twice for an education). Sweden has a voucher system, based on the ideas of Milton Friedman. So if we were to emulate them in education, it would mean scrapping socialism for privatization, not the other way around.

[TriMT7]

Scandinavia is not nearly as complex as the United States. We can TRY to emulate a lot of their ideas, but implementation will be difficult because of a number of factors that are not easily reconciled, from a more diverse and large population, to more diverse political perspectives, and an all too commonly held American belief that Europe is communist and not to be emulated no matter what.

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by alphamale

They do not import poverty, as we do. (it is very difficult to become a resident, let alone a citizen)

They have a system where EVERYONE contributes to the system. (many American recipient class people would say "no thank you....wheres my check?")

Originally Posted by EdwardA

We have too much dead weight it simply cannot happen here.

^This.

[DanInTheCan]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

We have too much dead weight it simply cannot happen here.

You would not find a lady like her in Sweeden, they earn their standard of living:



or her: