AND...Sweden and Denmark are differentiated, in spite of their Scnadinavian commonalities, by the fact that Sweden is a land of HUGE corporations while Denmark is a land of smaller companies.
Yes, both Sweden and Denmark were extremely free market oriented in the late 1800's and early 1900's which is when many of the larger companies were founded. Scandinavia also was not affected by the Great Depression However, it is important to note that most of the brands Sweden is famous for have left the country, neither IKEA nor Spotify have their HQ:s in Sweden anymore (I think H&M still is but they get special treatment by the government not to leave) and Denmark has a higher economic freedom index than the US. whereas Sweden has a lower corporate tax (or at least used to) than the US.
Those brands left the country because they were assimilated into larger global corporations. They may not have even left the country, they just operate under a different name. Not saying thats always true, but its truly a trend. Daimler, Chrysler, Benz, Ford-Mazda, Ford-Volvo, Ford-Landrover...have all contributed to corporate identity crises in the last few decades. Banks especially get involved inthat stuff. You never know who owns who anymore
It’s a massive oversimplification to suggest the concept of socialism is the reason why it is a failed state. It is a failed state because it has a poor government. You can’t cherry pick Venezuela and pretend it is some broad reflection of socialism itself.
"Cherry pick Venezuela"....
You shameless genocide apologetic.
How about we add Vietnam, North Korea, China, Soviet, East Germany, Biafra, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Cambodia, Ethiopia and Romania to the list?. The list goes on and on and the result has always been the same - poverty, starvation, misery and genocide.
Socialist methods are emplyed in Scandinavia and they are hardly failing although they have their quirks. Even USSR era Russia had many successes. They failed to be a world power before the Socialist regime pulled the struggling land up by its bootstraps. .The Russians didnt hate their system they hated Stalin and despot with a vendetta who followed in his footsteps. I have personally known Russians who still had great respect for their national way of life in 1991 and after. They were first in space, first transatlantic jetliner..and for 5 years the ONLY transatlantic jetliner, first woman in space, more women in political office, first automated probe to land on another planet, largest bomb ever, fastest cruise missile, and many other smaller examples too numerous to mention here...
It IS about the governors as much as it is abiut the form of government. The problem with socialism and/or communism is not that its inherantly evil so much as it requires people to perpetually volunteer for it, not be mandated. People have a right to choose what they will get out of it...not be told what they'll get out of it whether they like it or not. And if the system cant provide that then the individual MUST have the freedom to find it for himself while respecting the rights of others. When you think about it, our Constitution doesnt define HOW people should find happiness. It only asserts that they have a right to it along with EVERYONE else.
If the government promises me a meal but cant deliver...and I disobey fish&game regulations by shooting a deer without a license with an AK47 in order to feed my family, then that should be on the government that makes all the promises and restrictions...not me.
