Myths about Sweden

[Anonymous]

I wrote this take to dispel some rumours and myths about my home country Sweden

It has been the focal point of alt-right for some time now and other garbage media.

Even before Trump, Sweden was often described as a symbol of the failures of immigration by the European right wing. Both within Europe and abroad, the right wing has held Sweden up as an emblem of the failures of multiculturalism, a country at the precipice of total dissolution, vindicating their own brand of nationalist populism. Within Europe, Hungary and Poland has been the most vocal in this regard. Now, both are empowered by a rambling President Trump, who spreads misinformation and rely on obscure ex-convicts as “national experts” in a feeble attempt to justify his antics.

So jumping straight into it,

As in the 80`s neo-nazis are still the biggest cause of mayhem in Sweden followed by East-European mafia and motorcycle gangs we have some hells angels here also unfortunately price of American multiculturalism? Wrong culture sorry.

Overall crime against the person is going down.

As for rapes, Sweden has broadened its definitions of rape in recent years, which covers many acts not considered rape in other countries. Irrespective of whether or not one would agree with Sweden’s definitions of rape, the influx of migrants have had little to no impact on it.

This one will hurt all guys from the political spectrum,,

Swedish women are blonde and beautiful

When I talk with men from elsewhere in the world and tell them I live in Sweden, I often get the question your women are hot as with most countries some are others not the stereotypical Swedish girl is not so different from other European girls.

Some even have exotic looks like this.

Lastly this budget year Sweden had a budget surplus of $2billion.

[ak666]

The Swedish economy is interesting to me mainly in terms of fiscal policy. They're able to run surplus after surplus in spite of heavy expenditures.

I think they're one of the few countries who actually implement Keynesian economics properly. They favor deficit spending when the economy is in recession and then reduce spending when and/or raise taxes when the economy is out of recession.

Typically I'm strongly against Keynesian economics since most governments don't have the discipline or the competence to manage that. They end up just running deficit after deficit and never correct the national debt.

Generally I'm against such socialist welfare states because they can go spectacularly wrong. For example, if a lot of people suddenly started becoming unemployed in Sweden, or you brought in a whole flood of immigrants who are finding it difficult to secure a productive job, you might find yourself in a total economic crisis where the welfare costs are getting completely out of control.

Then the only thing government can do is make huge cuts in those services and hope the people get back to productive work. If that doesn't work out, you're totally screwed.

It's for these reasons that I tend to oppose complex welfare states. I favor a very simplistic UBI and very limited government. Sweden is surprisingly managing to make it work so far though.

[myTake Owner]

Corporatio costs in Sweden are lower than American at 22% compared to 25% respectively the higher taxation in Sweden when compared to the U. K is actually lower how you might wonder here we don`t have the multilevel taxation of municipality+houseowner taxation.

You get your moneys worth compared to say some developed countries spending by the higher middle classes where the take home pay goes to spending money on a gated community you need security from all the poor robbers, $1ooo`s for health insurance for the family the goverment health is poor and insuficent, ridiclous amount on private schools same reason.
The net disposable income won't be so imressive after all te necessities have been deducted.
The higher social mobility has also enabled Sweden to be one of the most innovative countries in the west.
I agree that Swedens eonomic model is not perhap the best I am more for the Japanese economists Uno`s model https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kozo_Uno#Main_work

[myTake Owner]

I also have interacted with some of these refugees I know of one that is now working with manufacturing trafic light boxes, others have gone into the health sector whee they work as assistants to nurses and doctors taking away the running around for results etc
it takes a lot of money to bring a person to the working age of 18yrs by the state $hundreds of thoudands if not million out right. So there is a net gain if you can get your hands on a working age adult.

[ak666]

The US government is one of the most corrupt of the developed nations as I see it. They have a tendency to spend astronomical amounts in ways that doesn't actually yield better results. Complex regulations often serve as barriers into the industry. I'm actually in favor of a very limited government if only because it can't mess things up. :-D

I think I'm biased since I'm mainly used to seeing governments being run so inefficiently and full of corruption. A small, heavily-limited government as I see it is one that doesn't risk too much waste and corruption.

Sweden is an example to me of a highly-competent government that, so far, has managed to operate very competently in spite of providing many services.

I haven't read anything from Kozo Uno but I'll check him out.

[ak666]

The biggest problem with welfare in the US is that it actually provides incentives *not* to work. There are steep cut-off points in value in many services, like medicaid, that actually provide incentives to avoid earning too much.

For example, a single household that earns more than $1,367 suddenly loses medicaid. As a result, there are people deliberately trying not to earn more than that because they'll suddenly lose tremendous value if they earn more.

It's horribly designed which is why I like resetting to the simplicity of a universal basic income or guaranteed minimum income. This simplistic type of welfare doesn't have those steep cut-off points where we suddenly jump off a value cliff if we earn too much.

It might be able to work its way towards something a bit more complex at that point. Sweden's welfare system sounds like it actually works properly in putting people to work. The US does the precise opposite and creates heavy dependencies on welfare that last for years.

[ak666]

The other problem with welfare in the US is that there are so many middle men between the tax payer and the welfare recipient. As a result, the recipient receives minimum value. Meanwhile the public employers in the middle have incentive to keep people on welfare for as long as possible, since their earnings depend on having as many people on welfare as possible.

It's such a messed up system as it is now and the primary contributor of a national debt that's skyrocketing out of control. :-(

[myTake Owner]

You brought a good point here in Sweden collective input into your community haas been the way for thousands of years you had to in order to survive harsh winters everyone has to contribute to collect as much food as possible during milder seasons and people lived in homesteds.
there is a mentality here in seden if you stifle the goverment you are doing harm to yourself in the long run.

[myTake Owner]

a gredy model like Americas would collapse Sweden and make it look like one of the baltic states economies

[ak666]

Those values are very useful as I see it. I think with such values, just about any economic system can work since if you have big government, the government effectively represents the collective values of its citizens. If you have small government, the citizens still have those collective values to cooperate and help each other out.

I tend to think in a cynical way like, "If you have a country full of selfish, greedy people, what type of system would work the best?" And that's where I arrive at a very limited government and a very free market. I see competition as what keeps greed in check in the free market, and heavy limits imposed on the state as what keeps the government in check.

[ak666]

Another thing I find interesting about Sweden is that, as far as I understand, a large portion of the female population is employed full-time with child care services to free them to work. That might almost double economic output. It's a very productive system as I see it.

[myTake Owner]

Indeed, another thing with working parents there is paternal leave unimaginable in a feminist society you would imagine, There is also no objection of bringing in kids into the work place as long as its safe to do so you will also find a lot of work places having nurseries in the same building.
The free market model will eventualy cause monopolie to build up its unavoidable which leads to bubbels which what is happening know in the US and other counries. The only way for the bubble not to burst is to pump in more money question is for how long?

[ak666]

I'm not always sure that the final state of convergence in a very free market is towards that of long-lived monopolies. I can see that happening in some sectors but, at the very least, I think it takes a long time if the market isn't heavily regulated.

As an example, consider one of the most unregulated markets out there: internet video games. Even independent developers are actually thriving even against monstrous competition of the likes of Ubisoft. They're able to have a great idea for a video game, publish it on a place like Steam or Apple Store, and earn a great deal and start expanding towards a notable company, only for new independent developers to start offering stiff competition against them.

As long as this doesn't face heavy government intervention that impose anti-competitive measures, I think that type of trend of preventing long-lasting monopolies can continue indefinitely.

[ak666]

As for bubbles, I hate central banks. The Fed is one of the most problematic systems as I see it, bailing out banks and freeing them of accountability, allowing governments to run deficit spending when the national debt is going through the roof, etc.

I also think it actually provides more incentives to start needless wars since the government can just finance that on printed/borrowed money. We might see far less military intervention if the government was prohibited from deficit spending.

It's kind of extreme but I like the idea of a government which is prohibited entirely from deficit saving. However, surpluses can be saved in a federal savings account to spend in the case of emergency (ex: fiscal stimulus during a recession or when facing a foreign threat).

It's kind of a crazy idea but I think the world would be much better if governments operated under such limitations.

[myTake Owner]

Limiting Fiat money would also prevent military hedgemony and see that other places around the world gets its slice now capitalisim is scrwing up workers round the world

[ak666]

Do you favor the gold standard? I have mixed thoughts about it. I keep hoping fiat money could stop being so wonky and see the bigger problem being that of credit over money supply.

[myTake Owner]

The gold standard would eleminate issues dealing with hard currency since only the inprint and size of gold coint or gold woven note would matter.
it would reduce inflation.
The downside is exponential expansion would be limited you can`t invest $200 billion in industry unless you have the gold to back it up or nightmare size guarantees in case of defaulting.
positive side economy would be built slower but sturdier. no over night reccesions.

[avengergirly]

The problem is you're using facts and scientific data and most American don;t like facts. Why do you think a game show host is our president? Why do you think he claims ridiculous things that are easy to disprove and still gets elected. Part of being American is to believe in fantasy, such as some day we'll be the one to live in the mansion on the hill. Just let us believe that you all live in hot tubs, wear nice sweaters, ski all day and make porn movies at night and we'll go about our redneck business believing the rest of the world is inferior.

[Anonymous]

You said the influx of migrants has had little to no impact on rape rates but offered no facts to back up that claim. I have read about specific rape incidents involving migrants and how the Swedish government tried to cover up those incidents. Are those stories untrue?

Another international reputation Sweden has today is that it is a feminist cesspool and Swedish men are no longer allowed to be men and many are leaving the country because of the oppressive legal environment. I guess that might explain the screwed up definition of rape. What are your thoughts on this?

[myTake Owner]

' I have read about specific rape incidents involving migrants and how the Swedish government tried to cover up those incidents. Are those stories untrue?' Here in Sweden we have an open goverment which means you can access data and stats directly instead of relying on agenda driven media here is a link www.government.se/.../
Yes there has been cases of refuuges raping I blame it on two factors lax laws and myths about western culture where some think its a free sex society similar to how some think in developed world all women are mistreated. misconceptions basically and the broad defenition of rape does`nt exactly help.
yet its not as bad as in Usa where every 4min a woman is raped you would feel safe walking the streets of sweden even in the middle of the night.

[myTake Owner]

The feminist part in swden I don`t observe any difference really on how men are tteated apart from less coquettishness compared to other countries I have visited. Good for business enviroment people are more robotic efficent instead of thinking why he/she flirted or just being friendly.

[John_Doesnt]

Somebody doesn't know how the scientific method works. Specific incidents are never relevant to a group. Any scientist will tell you that anecdotal evidence and isolated incidents are not accepted when determining things from an unbiased scientific perspective. Maybe that's why Republicans want to destroy public education: because if their supporters understood the scientific method they could call them out on their bullshit.

[Anonymous]

Multiculturalism is good we need more Europeans in Africa and the middle East

[Eugene]

https://i.imgur.com/qVa969u.jpg

[DaddyRollingStone]

There is no possible way that crimes would not increase from migration into Sweden unless migrants created 0 additional crime in Sweden. Which is extremely implausible.

The woman in that picture looks like she is from Northern Africa

[disgustingweebtrash]

i0.kym-cdn.com/.../6ee.jpg

[Anonymous]

I wanna fuck Swedish ladies. They're fucking hot.

[Anonymous]

Do women love Swedish men?