http://www.economist.com/news/specia...orthern_lights
Why are the Nordic countries doing this? The obvious answer is that they have reached the limits of big government. “The welfare state we have is excellent in most ways,” says Gunnar Viby Mogensen, a Danish historian. “We only have this little problem. We can’t afford it.” The economic storms that shook all the Nordic countries in the early 1990s provided a foretaste of what would happen if they failed to get their affairs in order.There are two less obvious reasons. The old Nordic model depended on the ability of a cadre of big companies to generate enough money to support the state, but these companies are being slimmed by global compe ion. The old model also depended on people’s willingness to accept direction from above, but Nordic populations are becoming more demanding.
Last edited by spursncowboys; 02-04-2013 at 08:56 PM.
But there are compelling reasons for paying attention to these small countries on the edge of Europe. The first is that they have reached the future first. They are grappling with problems that other countries too will have to deal with in due course, such as what to do when you reach the limits of big government and how to organise society when almost all women work. And the Nordics are coming up with highly innovative solutions that reject the tired orthodoxies of left and right.
The Nordic example has no applicability to US.
The cultures are not polarized, divided, the govts are not owned and operated by corporations, the 1%, the financial secotr for their own EXCLUSIVE benefit.
Unfortunately, their government-funded healthcare system would probably be decried as 'death panels!' over here...
Also, personal income taxes in Sweden are amongst the highest in the world (average is 57%), and on top of that, there's a VAT of 25% (12% for food).
I get the feeling many red-teamers would not like to see that model of capitalism in America... I personally wouldn't either.
I thought it would be chump that would throw the healthcare comment first. Good to see you are trying to improve on your lack of improving a discussion.
Next time maybe you should read the article. Good fail though
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It's a fact that Nordic women are big boned and have colder labia than their Western counterparts.
I read the article, and I certainly agree with the reduction of government spending and a balanced budget whenever it's both possible and advisable to do so.
However, I felt the article omitted other parts of what this 'reinvented capitalism' looks like in Sweden (a country used as an example throughout said article).
And I didn't even mention the fact that none of these countries spend much, if anything, on military.
Would you be ok with 22% corporate tax + 57% income tax + 25% federal sales tax (with potentially gov-subsidized healthcare too) in exchange for reduced government spending and a balanced budget?
I wouldn't. I think it's way too much tax.
Huh?
You liberals wish for us to increase social spending like the European nations. Sweden is a good example of growth, after coming closer to a conservative model.
Looks like they're still navigating the middle way......and not doing a bad job of it at all.all four Nordic countries have AAA ratings and debt loads significantly below the euro-zone average.
Not sure what spursnmemeboy's point was.
Yes, we know it was over your head.
That they are backing off slightly from what they did before?
Woo.
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