[lbo-talk] The new Sweden

[Wojtek S]

Look, there is a world wide network of fascists, right wingers and
assorted neoliberal vermin that salivate at the very thought of
dismantling the welfare state - including Sweden and Norway. It is
truly laughable to see those swine shedding crocodile tears over the
alleged treatment of immigrant minorities.   It seems to me however,
that their vitriol aside, they cannot do much to change welfare state
in the Nordic countries as far as macro economic indicators are
concerned.  Government social spending still accounts for 30 or so
percent of the GDP - the highest level in the world.  I do not see
that this will change any time soon, despite the fact that a
conservative government has been in power in Sweden for the last
couple of years.  It is amazing how resilient the welfare state in
those countries is despite the neoliberal onslaught across the EU and
the Americas.

Wojtek

On Sat, Nov 26, 2011 at 3:58 PM, ken hanly <northsunm at yahoo.com> wrote:
>  I asked a chap based in Sweden whether the social safety net was being torn apart in Sweden. He did not say too much about that but he did provide some interesting links re feelings about immigrants and praise for the new Sweden from a right win rag in the U.S.
>
> Cheers, ken
>
> For some 'light reading' on the country now impersonating Sweden, you might look at:
>
> 'We never had a single conversation with a Swede'
> http://www.thelocal.se/35404/20110815/
>
> 'Immigrants in Sweden are treated as a homogenous, deviant group'
> http://www.thelocal.se/36084/20110912/
>
> and, from that wonderful rag of the Right that made headlines at Washington's Smithsonian, the American Spectator, a 'love letter' to Sweden...
>
> The article ends by observing: Nonetheless, it's surely paradoxical -- and tragic -- that a small Nordic country which remains a byword for its (at times obsessive) commitment to egalitarianism has proved far more willing than America to give economic liberty a chance.
>
> 'Free Market Sweden, Social Democratic America' - from the decidedly 'Right-wing' magazine 'The American Spectator'
> http://spectator.org/archives/2011/09/29/free-market-sweden-social-demo
> When American Spectator writes love letters to Sweden, it's no wonder we have a party with neo-Nazi roots in parliament.  And, xenophobia is alive, well, and running wild, fueled by scapegoating immigrants for the pain of the neoliberal programs here.
>
>
> Blog:  http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/index.html
> Blog:  http://kencan7.blogspot.com/index.html
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