The Pros and Cons ofSwedish Socialism

SPINNING THE GLOBE SWEDEN

BY LINDA RODGRIGUEZ

At first glance, it seems like theUnited States and Sweden arepolar opposites-one capitalist,the other socialist. But just howdifferent are we?

64 MENTAL _ FLOSS

IN2009,THEUNITEDSTATESWASGRIPPEDBY FEAR-fear that openingthe door to a government-run healthcare system might turnus into Sweden.

But what does that mean, exactly?Swedes argue that their governing system, which marries

free enterprise and a government-run welfare state, is a "thirdway." They say it's been pretty successful. building a strongnation with a resilient economy that provides its citizenswith a comfortable lifestyle. In a sense, Sweden is like anexpensive, all-inclusive resort. For more than 40 years, its taxeshave been some of the highest in the world. Currently, thegovernment takes about half of an average citizen's paycheck.But you get what you pay for, and in Sweden, that's quite a lot.Swedes enjoy access to a multitude of benefits, including freeeducation (even at graduate-school levels), school lunches forchildren, a healthcare system that regularly ranks among thebest in the world, and heavily subsidized childcare. Parents aregiven 480 days of paid leave at the birth of each child, to splitbetween them as they see fit.

There's more. Pensions in Sweden are higher than in mostother European countries, and they're "progressive," meaningthat the more you make before retirement, the more you'llreceive later. Unemployment benefits are also extensive.Jobless citizens are eligible for free training programs ina number of different fields. And there's no shortage ofavailable information and technology In November 2009, theSwedish government announced it was working on gettingfast, broadband Internet access to atleast 90 percent of the population.

Not surprisingly; the quality of life inSweden consistently gets high marks.The World Economic Forum announcedthat it's the best country to live in forwomen, and Save the Children says it'sthe best country in which to be a mother.Quality practices at home may alsotranslate to more charitable practicesabroad. According to the Center forGlobal Development, Sweden has thebest foreign-aid policy of all the world'srichest countries.

And make no mistake; Sweden isdefinitely wealthy. Ever since the SocialDemocratic Party came to power in 1932,the government has promoted socialwelfare through access to things suchas free education and healthcare. whilestill allowing for capitalism. Blessed withstrong mining and forestry industries,Sweden's export-dependent economyweathered the Great Depression andremained strong during World War II(largely because Sweden remainedneutral). After peace returned to thecontinent, Swedish industries helpedto rebuild Europe and then continuedto grow for most of the 20th century.According to the World Bank, Swedenhas the ninth highest per-capita incomein the world.

On the Other Hand

regulate the circumcision of boys, requiring that the procedurebe performed under anesthetic and in the presence of a nurseor doctor. Swedish Jews and Muslims were not pleased andsaw the move as impinging upon their religious rights.

Critics also claim that Sweden's welfare system isoverburdened with too many hangers-on. Right now;more people than ever are on welfare. In 1970, only 11percent of the adult Swedish population was subsisting on

government handouts; by 2006, thatfigure had more than doubled. Andthe strain of that expense is beginningto show. In 2008, Swedish newspapersreported that mentally ill children werebeing housed with violent, mentally illadults due to lack of funding. Anothermajor problem is work absenteeism.There is a growing concern thatSwedes are faking illnesses to reapthe benefits of the extensive medical-leave program.

Some economists believe thatSweden's brand of socialism isfundamentally flawed. While it workswell in the short term, it can lead todisenfranchised consumers in the longrun. The more taxes the governmenttakes, the less people are willing tospend in a consumer market, whichleaves the government to prop up thoseflagging industries, creating a viciouscycle in the economy.

The SWedishgovernment takes

about half of anaverage citizen's pay-check, But you getwhat you pay for,Parents are given480 days of paid

leave at the birth ofeach child, to splitbetween them as

they see fit.

The nation is not without its downsides. For starters, theSwedish system fosters certain restrictions on personalfreedoms that most Americans take for granted. Consider"The Naming Law;"passed in 1982,which dictates how manynames one person can have (first, middle, and last only-nohyphens allowed) and prevents parents from naming theirchildren anything that could be considered offensive. The lawrequires that all names be registered with the Swedish TaxAgency; which has the right to determine whether the name isup to snuff. In recent years, rejected names included Metallica,Superman.and the letter Q.

Other new laws have been rubbing citizens the wrong way.In 2001, for example, the Swedish government passed a law to

But How Different IsAmerica, Really?Even as Americans have come to fearthe concept of socialism, we continueto move closer towards it-regardlessof who's in the Oval Office. During thepast 50 years, the role of governmentin the United States has gotten biggerand bigger. There was FDR's creationof Social Security; Lyndon Johnson'sintroduction of Medicare, Nixon's

founding of the Environmental Protection Agency andexpansion of the Public Broadcasting System, Clinton's Familyand Medical Leave Act, George W Bush's No Child Left Behind,and now;major bailouts for the banking and auto industries.

The truth is,we've been edging toward Sweden for decades.And Sweden has been turning into us. During the 1990s,whenthe Swedish economy was stumbling, the government thererealized that it was time to make some changes and encourageentrepreneurship. State-dominated industries in Swedensuch as technology and telecommunications were privatized,creating new jobs and new businesses, and the governmenteven cut back on some taxes. As it turns out, the third way andthe American way may be headed in the same direction. i:}

MENTALFLOSS.COM 65