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> Socialism as practiced in Europe these days, with a focus on Scandinavia. What the heck are you talking about? Denmark is a parliamentary constitutional mon
by Jon_Lowtek 4y ago
> Socialism as practiced in Europe these days, with a focus on Scandinavia.
What the heck are you talking about?
Denmark is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a mixed economy. The current government is a majority coalition of a social-democratic, a moderate-liberal and a conservative-liberal party. It is considered centrist. There are seventeen parties in the danish parliament, two are socialist parties, and both are small minorities. Denmark does not call itself socialist or claims to practice socialism.
Norway is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a mixed economy. Norway is often called state-capitalist because of the large amount of state owned company shares. The current government is a minority coalition of a social-democratic party and a centrist-agricultural party. It is considered center-left. As a minority government it relies on opposition votes to rule. There are ten parties in the norwegian parliament, two of which are socialist, and both are small minorities. Norway does not call itself socialist or claims to practice socialism.
Sweden is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a mixed economy. The current government is a minority coalition of a moderate, a liberal and a christ-democratic party. It is considered center-right and relies mostly on votes from the right to govern. Sweden was governed by a center-left minority coalition of social-democrats, greens, centrists and liberals, which collapsed. There are eight parties in the swedish parliament, one of which is a small socialist party. Note it was not part of the last government either. Sweden does not call itself socialist or claims to practice socialism.
Finland is a parliamentary republic with a capitalist mixed market economy. The current government is a five party coalition led by the social-democrats and including a centrist, a green, a socialists and the swedish party, in order of size. It is the only scandinavian country in which a socialist party is actually part of the government, but with 8% it is more the little far-left cousin of the leading social-democrats. It holds the ministry of education and the ministry of health and social affairs. The government as a whole is considered center-left, and there are ten parties in parliament, with the previously mentioned one being the only socialist party. Finland does not call itself socialist or claims to practice socialism.
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For those who can only think in left/right, east/west, blue/red, and are terrified and confused by the idea of a parliament with seventeen parties: to understand european politics one must first learn to differentiate and be specific. For example: "democratic-socialism" and "social-democracy" are two very different political concepts. A mixed economy is not socialism, but a capitalist market economy with strong regulatory oversight and some state owned property, often controlling shares of key industries. And social benefits are an implementation of Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the first three of the U.N. sustainable development goals.
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TLDR: There is no scandinavian country that practices socialism these days.