4 ms·

Sweden, Norway, etc?

s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
Neither one of those are socialist countries. Sweden is very capitalistic, they have been reversing welfare services since 1994. Both do have great welfare services, but they are very capitalistic and had great wealth before implementing the services. Norway can thank that oil for their great welfare. edit: to the user below, you're arguing semantics. I know the definition of socialism and it cannot exist with capitalism. I suggest you read up. You're conflating socialism with welfare services and arguing about the semantics of the two to reach your point. tldr: I'm being critical of socialism, not "democratic socialism". https://www.forbes.com/sites/rainerzitelmann/2019/11/11/bernie-sanders-dreams-of-scandinavian-socialism-the-only-problem-it-has-long-since-failed/#792e5b836c5a https://www.forbes.com/sites/rainerzitelmann/2019/11/11/bern...
- defterGoose 7y ago
  Your name is syntax, but it seems like you're only arguing semantics. Those countries have lots of properties of both capitalism and socialism.
- defterGoose 7y ago
  You can't convince me that welfare services like medicine or food programs aren't part of the "production or distribution of goods and services". The reason you can't convince me is because you're wrong.
  - s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
    Stating I'm wrong doesn't prove your point, just like sharing only one attribute doesn't make a thing something else. Being a socialist country involves much more than the "production or distribution of goods and services". You're overplaying even that because it's only one industry (healthcare). Both Sweden and Norway are rated highly on the economic freedom index https://www.heritage.org/index/ranking https://www.heritage.org/index/ranking.
    - defterGoose 7y ago
      And your throwing up of straw men isn't proving your point either. Aside from that, I think I'll avoid getting any opinions on economic freedom from one of the most biased sources possible, The Heritage Foundation.
- stolk 7y ago
  Sweden at one point, had marginal income tax rate EXCEEDING 100% for some people. Look it up. It is very hard to believe, but true. That exceeds communism. 102% income tax rate, people... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomperipossa_in_Monismania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomperipossa_in_Monismania
  - s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
    Yes, Sweden was a socialist country for awhile (1960-1994), it no longer is because the experiment failed. They've been reversing their welfare programs and are rated highly on the economic freedom index. Taxes are still high to pay for the welfare programs, but as they are reformed I'd assume the government will lower them. Even so, America once had a 70% income tax, that didn't make us socialist, though it made us economically weak (thanks for the cuts Reagan, you saved us) . https://fee.org/articles/is-sweden-socialist-no-but/ https://fee.org/articles/is-sweden-socialist-no-but/ > Between 1870 and 1950, Sweden had the highest per capita income growth in the world and became one of the richest countries, behind only Switzerland, the U.S., and Denmark. > In the 1960s, Sweden started to redistribute wealth, which brought wealth creation to a halt. > By the mid-1990s, the country had growing economic problems because it continued to redistribute wealth it wasn’t creating. > In 1994, Sweden began implementing the following measures designed to reverse this trend - Reduce Regulation - Reduce Government Spending - Reform their Welfare Programs - Shrink their Government tldr: socialism is like crack, you only need to try it once and it'll destroy your life/country.

Neither one of those are socialist countries. Sweden is very capitalistic, they have been reversing welfare services since 1994. Both do have great welfare services, but they are very capitalistic and had great wealth before implementing the services. Norway can thank that oil for their great welfare. edit: to the user below, you're arguing semantics. I know the definition of socialism and it cannot exist with capitalism. I suggest you read up. You're conflating socialism with welfare services and arguing about the semantics of the two to reach your point. tldr: I'm being critical of socialism, not "democratic socialism". https://www.forbes.com/sites/rainerzitelmann/2019/11/11/bernie-sanders-dreams-of-scandinavian-socialism-the-only-problem-it-has-long-since-failed/#792e5b836c5a https://www.forbes.com/sites/rainerzitelmann/2019/11/11/bern...

defterGoose 7y ago
Your name is syntax, but it seems like you're only arguing semantics. Those countries have lots of properties of both capitalism and socialism.
defterGoose 7y ago
You can't convince me that welfare services like medicine or food programs aren't part of the "production or distribution of goods and services". The reason you can't convince me is because you're wrong.
- s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
  Stating I'm wrong doesn't prove your point, just like sharing only one attribute doesn't make a thing something else. Being a socialist country involves much more than the "production or distribution of goods and services". You're overplaying even that because it's only one industry (healthcare). Both Sweden and Norway are rated highly on the economic freedom index https://www.heritage.org/index/ranking https://www.heritage.org/index/ranking.
  - defterGoose 7y ago
    And your throwing up of straw men isn't proving your point either. Aside from that, I think I'll avoid getting any opinions on economic freedom from one of the most biased sources possible, The Heritage Foundation.
stolk 7y ago
Sweden at one point, had marginal income tax rate EXCEEDING 100% for some people. Look it up. It is very hard to believe, but true. That exceeds communism. 102% income tax rate, people... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomperipossa_in_Monismania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomperipossa_in_Monismania
- s_y_n_t_a_x 7y ago
  Yes, Sweden was a socialist country for awhile (1960-1994), it no longer is because the experiment failed. They've been reversing their welfare programs and are rated highly on the economic freedom index. Taxes are still high to pay for the welfare programs, but as they are reformed I'd assume the government will lower them. Even so, America once had a 70% income tax, that didn't make us socialist, though it made us economically weak (thanks for the cuts Reagan, you saved us) . https://fee.org/articles/is-sweden-socialist-no-but/ https://fee.org/articles/is-sweden-socialist-no-but/ > Between 1870 and 1950, Sweden had the highest per capita income growth in the world and became one of the richest countries, behind only Switzerland, the U.S., and Denmark. > In the 1960s, Sweden started to redistribute wealth, which brought wealth creation to a halt. > By the mid-1990s, the country had growing economic problems because it continued to redistribute wealth it wasn’t creating. > In 1994, Sweden began implementing the following measures designed to reverse this trend - Reduce Regulation - Reduce Government Spending - Reform their Welfare Programs - Shrink their Government tldr: socialism is like crack, you only need to try it once and it'll destroy your life/country.