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A society where everybody can create wealth ends up far richer than one where one person hoards it all. So, yes, extreme inequality is bad for everybody, even t

A society where everybody can create wealth ends up far richer than one where one person hoards it all. So, yes, extreme inequality is bad for everybody, even those at the top of an unequal society. Most people view the Nordics as desirable places to live and their Gini coefficient hovers around 0.3, while places with very high inequality, like Brazil and South Africa, tend to be poor and violent.

MacsHeadroom 2y ago
Nordic countries are made of homogeneous populations whose ancestors somewhat uniquely developed prosocial long term planning preferences to survive harsh winters thanks to natural selection. Nordic equality is as natural as the inequality we see everywhere else.
- Jensson 2y ago
  I think it has more to do with boat culture, when you are on the same boat you all die the same if it sinks no matter the ranks.
- dsign 2y ago
  > Nordic countries are made of homogeneous populations Once upon a time, it was so. Today, not so much. If that's a good or a bad thing, it's an entirely different can of worms. I think diversity in the Nordics is beautiful, but Japan has managed without it and they have great artisans. In the Nordics, in addition to long barbaric winters, having long barbaric Middle Ages helps foster social discipline. See what beloved King Vasa of Sweden did to peasants that weren't happy with their Gini coefficient: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlian_rebellions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlian_rebellions
- angra_mainyu 2y ago
  > Nordic countries are made of homogeneous populations Something like 25%-32% of Sweden is non-ethnic Swedish. Maybe once upon a time they were homogeneous, but they are probably one of the most heterogeneous countries (outside of the New World countries, which are an entirely different category), though I'd wager most of Western Europe is catching up (see: UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain).

MacsHeadroom 2y ago

Nordic countries are made of homogeneous populations whose ancestors somewhat uniquely developed prosocial long term planning preferences to survive harsh winters thanks to natural selection. Nordic equality is as natural as the inequality we see everywhere else.

Jensson 2y ago
I think it has more to do with boat culture, when you are on the same boat you all die the same if it sinks no matter the ranks.
dsign 2y ago
> Nordic countries are made of homogeneous populations Once upon a time, it was so. Today, not so much. If that's a good or a bad thing, it's an entirely different can of worms. I think diversity in the Nordics is beautiful, but Japan has managed without it and they have great artisans. In the Nordics, in addition to long barbaric winters, having long barbaric Middle Ages helps foster social discipline. See what beloved King Vasa of Sweden did to peasants that weren't happy with their Gini coefficient: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlian_rebellions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlian_rebellions
angra_mainyu 2y ago
> Nordic countries are made of homogeneous populations Something like 25%-32% of Sweden is non-ethnic Swedish. Maybe once upon a time they were homogeneous, but they are probably one of the most heterogeneous countries (outside of the New World countries, which are an entirely different category), though I'd wager most of Western Europe is catching up (see: UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain).