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Swedish Models
national interest ^ | 6/5/2006 | Johan Norberg

Posted on 06/07/2006 8:23:07 PM PDT by tbird5

TO BE A Swede is once again to be admired. Sweden is "the most successful society the world has ever known", declares the left-wing British newspaper the Guardian; "Swedes lead Europe in reform", claims the free-market-oriented Financial Times; only the Nordic model "combines both equity and efficiency", explains a recent report initiated by the European Commission.

In a contentious European debate marked by hostility, riots and unrest, Sweden looks like a safe bet--neutral, uncontroversial and with no natural opponents. Sweden is a Rorschach test: The Left sees a generous welfare state, and the Right sees an open economy that pushes for deregulation in the European Union. The only thing British reformists and French protectionists could agree on at the EU summit in Brussels in March was that Europe should learn from the Scandinavian model's combination of generous social provisions and a high-growth economy. Sweden is seen as the proverbial "third way", combining the openness and wealth creation of capitalism with the redistribution and safety nets of socialism. It is the best of both worlds.

But things in Sweden are not as good as the advocates would like to believe. Long the paragon of social democracy, the Swedish model is rotting from within. Ironically, the unique social and economic foundation that first allowed Sweden to construct its political edifice--and which makes it such a difficult model for other countries to emulate--has been critically weakened by the system it helped create. Far from a being a solution for the new sick men of Europe, Sweden must face serious and fundamental challenges at the heart of its social model.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: conservativevalues; isthisnecessary; sweden
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1 posted on 06/07/2006 8:23:09 PM PDT by tbird5
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To: tbird5

Swedish men have to squat to pee. Really. End of discussion.


2 posted on 06/07/2006 8:24:19 PM PDT by saganite (Billions and billions and billions-------and that's just the NASA budget!)
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To: Charles Henrickson

KO


3 posted on 06/07/2006 8:24:25 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: tbird5

That title is misleading. The article will probably get a lot of hits, though...


4 posted on 06/07/2006 8:25:45 PM PDT by kerryusama04 (Isa 8:20)
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To: tbird5

I have the ultimate Swedish model...and I hit it like a spaz.

5 posted on 06/07/2006 8:28:02 PM PDT by JRios1968 (There's 3 kinds of people in this world...those who know math and those who don't.)
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To: tbird5
I do like their balls.


6 posted on 06/07/2006 8:28:19 PM PDT by squishy
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To: tbird5

No pictures of blondes?


7 posted on 06/07/2006 8:28:41 PM PDT by SouthTexas (Viva la Migra!)
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To: tbird5
Sweden is "the most successful society the world has ever known", declares the left-wing British newspaper the Guardian

Was that before or after they changed the bong water?

8 posted on 06/07/2006 8:29:06 PM PDT by GOP_Raider (FR's token San Francisco Giants fan)
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To: kerryusama04
That title is misleading. The article will probably get a lot of hits, though...

We could help that hit count...

This is 1 I'd hit!

9 posted on 06/07/2006 8:30:13 PM PDT by Tatze (This tagline is brought to you by the Admin Moderator!)
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To: tbird5


10 posted on 06/07/2006 8:30:23 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Conservatism is moderate, it is the center, it is the middle of the road)
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To: 1234; A knight without armor; american colleen; AndyPH; anguish; AzSteven; Bartholomew Roberts; ...
Ping to the Swedish Ping List.
11 posted on 06/07/2006 8:31:52 PM PDT by Charles Henrickson (Swedish Ping List master)
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To: tbird5
Sweden is "the most successful society the world has ever known"

That's right, because nothing says success like hordes of roving muslim rapists preying on Swedish women and violent islamo-nazified cities that even the cops are afraid to enter.

12 posted on 06/07/2006 8:32:09 PM PDT by Mordacious
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To: tbird5
"The Left sees a generous welfare state, and the Right sees an open economy that pushes for deregulation in the European Union."

I see it as an invisible nation that stands for and represents absolutely nothing.

13 posted on 06/07/2006 8:32:26 PM PDT by TheCrusader
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To: tbird5
"In a contentious European debate marked by hostility, riots and unrest, Sweden looks like a safe bet--neutral, uncontroversial and with no natural opponents."

Sweden has many enemies and doesn't know it, yet. Swedish men are not allowed to stand to urinate. The country is a sorry sack of sewage.
14 posted on 06/07/2006 8:33:53 PM PDT by familyop ("Either you're with us, or your with the terrorists." --pre-Roadmap President Bush)
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To: tbird5
Did somebody say Swedish Models?



Seriously, the Swedish welfare state seems to be imploding, and they have a growing immigrant problem.
15 posted on 06/07/2006 8:34:15 PM PDT by conservative in nyc
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To: saganite

>>>>>Swedish men have to squat to pee.<<<<<<<<<

Not that there's anything wrong with that...


16 posted on 06/07/2006 8:35:35 PM PDT by HOTTIEBOY (I'm your huckleberry)
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To: conservative in nyc
Seriously, the Swedish welfare state seems to be imploding, and they have a growing immigrant problem.

What European country doesnt? Or us for that matter, although our immigrant problem is of a different nature.

17 posted on 06/07/2006 8:36:07 PM PDT by Tatze (This tagline is brought to you by the Admin Moderator!)
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To: tbird5
Swedish Models

..swedish model Nadia Bjorlin

18 posted on 06/07/2006 8:36:11 PM PDT by Donald Rumsfeld Fan ("fake but accurate": NY Times)
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To: kerryusama04
I forgot what I wanted to say.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

19 posted on 06/07/2006 8:36:51 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: Tatze

Sweedish models are just lust objects with no brains or substance whatsoever.









God love em.


20 posted on 06/07/2006 8:37:20 PM PDT by HOTTIEBOY (I'm your huckleberry)
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