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Debunking the Myth of Socialist “Success” in Scandinavia
New American ^ | 25 August 2015 | Alex Newman

Posted on 02/08/2016 10:38:31 AM PST by Baynative

With one of the leading 2016 U.S. presidential contenders, self-styled socialist Bernie Sanders, openly advocating the transformation of America into a Scandinavian-style welfare-state utopia on national television, the book's message is timely indeed from an American perspective. But as the monograph explains, Sanders, whose campaign has recently surged past Hillary Clinton's among voters in the key primary state of New Hampshire, is hardly alone in totally misunderstanding the lessons Scandinavia can offer Americans and the world. Left-wing celebrities, politicians, journalists, and ideologues worldwide have also been pointing to the Nordic nations for decades as a model to emulate.

~snip~

In other words: Americans, beware. In Scandinavia, with the partial exception of Norway which is able to coast along thanks to its gargantuan oil revenues, governments have started to learn the error of their ways and have drastically reversed course, expanding economic freedom across the board. (Personal freedom is another matter, of course). Those who seek to push Scandinavian-style Big Government in the United States are either misunderstanding the facts, or deliberately misleading you. And Scandinavian Unexceptionalism, a must-read for economic-policy wonks and anyone interested in understanding the region's success, makes that abundantly clear.

(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: bernie; scandanavia; socialism
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To: DannyTN

“Dr Phil says anger is always a response to frustration or fear.”

Dr. Phil is full of crap.


21 posted on 02/08/2016 11:26:04 AM PST by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: Baynative

Social democracy worked in Scandinavia because they were small homogeneous countries linked by a common religion, culture and values.

That doesn’t exist today. The Swedish “third way” can’t be replicated in the US because its so different.

Social democracy was less about theoretical doctrine than practical improvisation and adapting Marxism mediated via Eduard Bernstein, to the reality of democracy.


22 posted on 02/08/2016 11:27:33 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Excellent example.


23 posted on 02/08/2016 11:29:01 AM PST by SWAMP-C1PHER (HOMO, OECONOMIA, ET CIVITAS.)
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To: KC_Lion

“I think it is obvious, feminism stops where Islam begins.”

W. C Fields famously quipped, “A man who hates dogs and children can’t be all bad.”


24 posted on 02/08/2016 11:29:53 AM PST by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: goldstategop

“Social democracy worked in Scandinavia because they were small homogeneous countries linked by a common religion, culture and values.”

The point of this article is that it *didn’t* work, even with all those “advantages.”


25 posted on 02/08/2016 11:33:14 AM PST by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: Baynative

It just hasn’t failed there quite as disastrously as it has in other places.


26 posted on 02/08/2016 12:04:29 PM PST by TBP (0bama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: driftless2
A couple of years ago I met a software guy who had spent two years in Scandanavia. I think he was in Sweden first, then maybe Norway.

Anyway, he said he was excited to go there thinking of all the beautiful blond women he would meet. But after a while they became monotonous to him and the thing (he thought) they all lacked was humor.

"It wasn't joke telling or comedy", he said. "It was just a lack of joy"

27 posted on 02/08/2016 12:15:09 PM PST by Baynative (The people promising to raise taxes and support abortion are already rich and already born.)
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To: Baynative

Even Denmark, a pillar of socialist nanny-statism, has discovered that its economy can’t sustain an endless swell of gimmedats.


28 posted on 02/08/2016 12:16:06 PM PST by IronJack
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To: MNDude

SUCCESS! overun by invaders thier own government let in, thier women raped and groped, the police have no control over these invaders, the citizenry are forced to support and accept them. Sounds like utopia to me


29 posted on 02/08/2016 12:43:39 PM PST by ronnie raygun
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To: joshua c

Wow.


30 posted on 02/08/2016 12:55:00 PM PST by Rusty0604 (1q)
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To: goldstategop

The Scandinavian socialism was unsuccessful because just as in the rest of Europe and in the US, it led to a steep drop in the birthrate of the taxpaying population. There is a reason why socialism thrives in the US today (politically, not economically): The “takers” are half of the population, and enough of the “makers” fear they’ll need the “safety net” someday (not as a way of life, but in a pinch) - and they want it to be there.

All European socialism worked for a generation then fell apart; the money and children ran out.


31 posted on 02/08/2016 4:14:11 PM PST by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: yoe; All
The Baby Boomers have spawned a generation of little socialists....

Yeah, those damn Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are responsible for everything bad that happened between the 1930's and the 1960's.

Even though, in 1960, the oldest Boomer was 14 years old and the youngest wouldn't even be born for another 4 years.

Here's a hint; the people who were in charge back then were neither the Boomers nor the parents of the Boomers; they were mainly the grandparents of the Boomers. Though in some cases, they were the worst of the Greatest Generation.

Here's another hint; Bill Ayers is a Boomer - No, wait; he isn't! He was born in 1944. On the other hand most of the names on the Vietnam Memorial wall belong to Boomers. Clinton and Obama are Boomers, but so is George W Bush.

But painting with a broad brush is fun! So is blaming a group to which you probably don't belong. Right?

32 posted on 02/08/2016 5:42:44 PM PST by ChicagahAl (Today's Democrats are much more Fascist than Communist; but Sen Joe McCarthy was still right.)
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To: Baynative

The smartest Nordics emmigrated to the US before 1950.


33 posted on 02/08/2016 11:00:16 PM PST by Paladin2 (w)
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To: TigerClaws

Why doesn’t The Bern go to Venezuela to fix the way Socialism is getting a bad name there?


34 posted on 02/08/2016 11:08:54 PM PST by Paladin2 (w)
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To: Baynative
Euro-socialism works because Europe still has a socially stratified society.

and has not had to pay for defense since WWII.

35 posted on 02/10/2016 7:15:41 AM PST by arthurus (Het is waar. Tutti i liberali sono feccia.)
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To: arthurus
and has not had to pay for defense since WWII.

Hooefully those days are coming to an end too, after Mr. Trump takes the oath next January. Better plan ahead Euros. Lots of widows and orphans already inside the gate itching to test your "defenses".

36 posted on 02/10/2016 7:26:57 AM PST by Kudsman (Beware the disruptors! Are they REALLY supporting a candidate, or are they gop-e or rat operatives?)
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