Mel Wild wrote a post that I have been thinking about writing, but I never got around to writing. So, here is a reblog.
Is what Mel wrote exactly what I would have written? Not exactly. Mel is not Tom, fortunately for him.
My skepticism of everyone and everything is probably greater than most. So, for example, I look at those ten facts from the article that Bernie Sanders doesn’t want you to know about so-called “Nordic Socialism” (read Mel’s post), and I don’t think some of those facts belong in the list.
3. In Sweden, as well as in Denmark and Norway, ALL citizens pay high tax rates (that includes the poor!)
In a Socialist state, the object of those in power is to control the people as much as possible. To control the people, those in power first seek to control the wealth of the people. Those in charge only pay lip service to this creed.
From each according to his ability; to each according to his need. — Karl Marx
Socialism is a big lie. Hence, point 3 goes against those who say the Nordic states are not Socialistic in character. High taxes maximize control of the people’s wealth. Socialist tyrants live to enslave everyone. Slavery is a 100% taxation rate.
5. Free college’ is not really that ‘free.’ (70% of Swedish students take out school loans).
Whether or not 70% of Swedish students take out loans is immaterial. The issue is whether or not the colleges are state owned and operated. Once the government controls their financing, the government controls the colleges.
The problem with Socialism is that ultimately the government runs absolutely anything and everything. In a fully developed Socialist state we don’t have any rights because we don’t have any choices.
9. Norway benefits (hugely) from fossil fuels. (I highly doubt they would embrace AOC’s Green New Deal that seeks to eliminate fossel fuels!)
What does this point prove? Well, it doesn’t show that Norway is not a Socialist State. Any Socialist state would be quite happy to have a sovereign wealth fund (see Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) Definition (investopedia.com)). The fact that Norway created the fund from its oil trade is not relevant.
The Green New Deal is not Socialism, and it is not required for Socialism. The Green New Deal is just an excuse for embracing Socialism. The amazing thing about the Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global is that the government still has not squandered away the money into the pockets of crooked people.
Bottom Line
Is “Nordic Socialism” real? That is, are Sweden, Norway, and Denmark really as Socialistic as Bernie Sanders would have us believe? No. What are the most important points in Mel Wild’s post?
- The Nordic nations have relatively free economic systems.
- The Nordic nations are backing away from Socialism.
- Sweden has adopted a School Choice model.
The greatest danger posed by Socialism is that it gives the government the power to dominate information. Socialism is not about sharing the wealth. Socialism is about enticing and then forcing the people to conform to the will of the state. That is why any Socialist state puts itself in control of the information we receive and the thoughts we are permitted to express. Ignorant people are the most easily controlled. We cannot oppose what we don’t understand and cannot even talk about. Today we see tyrants trying to gain such control through what we call the “cancel culture.”
In a fully formed Communist state — what Bernie Sanders’ Socialism actually looks like — either 10-15% of our population would be in gulags where they would be worked to death or the economy would have completely collapsed and large numbers would be starving. This is the fearful end of the path where Socialism leads. That is why Sanders points to “Nordic Socialism”, to hide from us the experience of nations like Russia, China, Cambodia and Venezuela.
For this week’s installment of my pushback against the rising tide of Socialism in America, I would like to expose the popular myth that socialism works in Nordic countries. This is a favorite point made by Bernie Sanders, who allegedly wants to make us just a little more like Denmark or Sweden. Well, if that’s the case, it certainly won’t happen by following his Socialist agenda!
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I appreciated Mel’s post
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LOL! you know why Switzerland is not on this list anywhere? Mandatory military service and encouraged gun ownership. Shooting contest for 13 yr olds. They call the whole culture, “armed neutrality.”
Nordic countries are not socialist at all. I’m laughing here, but most of my experience in this area comes from right leaning nordic people horrified by all the socialism encroaching on the US.
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@insanitybytes22
I will readily admit I don’t have much experience with either Switzerland or the Nordic countries. However, I am also not asking anyone to follow the example of any of those countries.
Consider.
The elders of Israel, people who should have known better, wanted to follow the example of other nations. They persisted even after Samuel, speaking the Word of God, told them their king would tyrannize them.
Why did the elders of Israel behave so foolishly? I don’t exactly know. All I know is they were doing what seemed right in their own eyes instead of the eyes of our Lord. They knew Samuel spoke for the Lord. That is why they want him to appoint a king. Yet they persisted.
We can be dumb as rocks. I can only suppose God puts up with us because we amuse Him. When are we going to figure out that it is better to laugh at our foolishness, repent, and take God’s wisdom more seriously than we take our own wisdom?
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Tom, Mel
Now if only this information would be taught in schools, it would save the USA from repeating what has already been learned in history.
What Sanders is proposing has already proven to be a failed ideology that younf impressionable by the failure. What need to be taught instead what has been observed by the wisdom and love lessons in the Bible and experiences in history. . For example,
King Solomon – I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw☹Proverb 24:22)
Idiom – There is no such thing as a free lunch.
In my opinion, of the ten listed reasons, the best future hope for the USA is Sweden embraces school choice (which forces public schools to compete.
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Because “what I see” when their source of fossil fuels is depleted, they are going to need wisdom and love to help them survive from each other,
Same as in the USA has already experienced by transferring their manufacturing to China and found out during the pandemic that 90 percent of PPE sources of supply had to manufactured and transported from source 8000 miles away..
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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