Sweden Is Not A Model For Democratic Socialism (racism, ideology, politicians)
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Sweden, like the USA and most of the developed world, can be described as having a mixed economic system. Pure capitalism, pure communism, tend not to exist because they are not sustainable on their own, as history has shown. Trying to copy or emulate the systems used in other countries is kind of foolish. What works for one country may not work for another. That is why these systems are constantly tweaked to adjust with the changing times and dynamics in a country, and in the world economy.
While it is true that the Scandinavian countries provide things like a generous social safety net and universal healthcare, an extensive welfare state is not the same thing as socialism.
What Sanders and his supporters confuse as socialism is actually social democracy, a system in which the government aims to promote the public welfare through heavy taxation and spending, within the framework of a capitalist economy. This is what the Scandinavians practice.
One thread recently we had somebody saying Sweden (and other Scandinavian countries) aren't socialist. Now we have somebody telling us they're socialist, but not a model to follow.
Can people please make up their minds? Thank you.
Reread post #1. OP's quote says that Sweden is not socialist, which is correct. Sweden had a dalliance with socialism in the early '90s , IIRC it was called something like the 'employee fund' program. Basically profits were confiscated from companies and given to the unions in order to buy stock in the companies. It was dropped in the early 1990s after a more right wing gov't was voted in. That's the closest Sweden came to socialism.
They've been moving to the right in many other ways in the past 2-3 decades. Sweden has school vouchers, which would be considered far-right in the US. They also have health-care vouchers, something that Paul Ryan wanted to bring to the US for Medicare/Medicaid. That was screamed down by US liberals.
Probably nothing. Because the term "socialist" is so vague and given to so many differing definitions, that it's become pointless to try to use it for much of anything.
A reasonably good and useful definition of 'socialism' is just 'collective (gov't) ownership and operation of the means of production. If we just stick to this, we'll be able to discuss to topic clearly.
We have some people who insist "socialism" is an economic system. We have other people who insist "socialism" is just a political system. And others, no doubt, who insist it is both.
In my book, communism is usually what is referred to as a "collective (gov't) ownership and operation of the means of production." That is, a commune, writ large. Socialism seems to refer to whatever a person talking about it wants it to refer to. Which makes it pretty useless.
They can afford it by letting stupid americans foot the bill for a military to defend their own country.
But that cozy little arrangement is coming to an end.
Sweden has a generous social welfare program; not a socialist state. Many things are privately owned and free market. Sweden, along with Europe and even US/Canada has mixed economies. Sweden invest more in their people while America more on others.
Sweden has a generous social welfare program; not a socialist state. Many things are privately owned and free market. Sweden, along with Europe and even US/Canada has mixed economies. Sweden invest more in their people while America more on others.
And the Swedes who protest the immigrants who have turned sweden into the rape capitol of europe are told by their insane socialist politicians they can get out of the country if they dont like it.
Isnt it wonderful.
And the Swedes who protest the immigrants who have turned sweden into the rape capitol of europe are told by their insane socialist politicians they can get out of the country if they dont like it.
Isnt it wonderful.
Sweden has learned what US Democrats have yet to learn: you can have a welfare state, or you can have open immigration. You can't have both. It can't possibly work.
They are in the process of addressing this, but it will take time.
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