I moved to Sweden from the UK three years ago. My Partner is swedish and we wanted our Children to go to school here.
There is a neo liberal agenda here as well, there is still real opposing organisation against it though, and the more preposterous claims made for free markets , are seen for the Grandiose claims they really are. The Jante Läger mind set tends to expose overblown claims by any one actor in any situation.
What Sweden really got right was its early 90’s Bank bail out again the practical northern bluntness insisted on a bail out that involved moral hazard a no strings blank cheque was not written.
Sweden’s New deal back in the 1930’s has proved more durable and believable than Roosevelt’s New Deal in the US and also the Post war home for heroes overtures of the British Establishment. Of course the US federalist papers have been all but burnt in the US and Tyranny is the order of the day within the Aligned US/ petro Dollar Hegemony.
It is interesting that sweden remains outside the Euro and would probably reject it in a referendum. The Swedes being between The Eastern Block and West for the Cold war period I think have been left with a legacy of both ears and both eyes open as to the strengths and weaknesses from both sides. The polarised modern Theatrical politics with interchangeable Black and white hats isn’t really the Viking style. There are great advantages to spades being called spades indeed Bloody Shovels!
There is a real link with the Land here in sweden and as a nation with real appreciation of the environment and unimpressed by false constructs the swedes are rather more difficult to fob off with the outrageous lies and myths spun by the current state fascism in vogue in US and UK and clearly in Brussels and Strasbourg. The Swedish brand of State monopoly Capitalism really does honour its stakeholders ,sure some are more equal than others, but, the obscene inequality of the US and UK is not seen here. There is a Churchillian one nation type of Safety net. In the spirit Level report (Wilson and Picket) the importance to more equal wealth distribution to the sense of Natural well being in all demographic strata is clearly shown. The US and Uk should be taking more careful notes Trickle Down is nonsense, as James Robertson calls it ´´´Horseshit Economics´´!
Even before the 1930’s there was a royal commission in Sweden back at the fin de secle which addressed the massive migration to the new world and the move to Social democracy was really started with that, the ructions of the 1930’s and tacit allegiance to Nazi Germany whilst maintaining neutrality certainly is another example of Swedish pragmatism The swedes are not a soft touch and know what is best for them in the long term and thats what has informed policy not the short term demands of Wall Street or the City of London.The Swedish Reichs Bank is one of the oldest central banks in existence it publishes some excellent research pointing to the frailties and excesses of the Spivs further West. Sweden is far from perfect and Nirvana isn’t up for grabs, it is though for me the most modern and democratic society I have encountered and I look forward to becoming a Swedish Citizen, I was lucky that I was able to Vote with my feet. Those less fortunate should let their own Big Brothers know that they are also beiing obseved and found wanting Wall Streets Interests and thoses of The City of London are not the interests of the general populations of US or UK. Take note and change, for change will come Tyrannies do not endure and this one will be no exception.
There is still a trace of the enlightenment in Sweden, the US and UK are racing into the dark ages ( shame on them!)
