Nordic Model: Gold Standard of Economics?

[Abu-Salman]

With world leading levels of innovation, Scandinavians demonstrate that State run schools can work while solidarity actually breeds a more competitive society, with less crime and inequalities.

 

Despite 57% of the GDP spent by the State in Sweden, creativity and entrepeneurship remain relatively high; there is still a good case for reinforcing the State role, notably in areas of public goods such as Telecoms or key industries.

 

Of course, there is ample room for improvements in that Socialist logic and, ultimately, the safeguard of public health and the environment is what matters rather than conspicuous consumerism which destroys both and foster crime (high rise appartments and trams rather than individual properties and cars).

 

Interestingly, this primacy accorded to public well-being resonates particularly well with both authentic Somali culture which pride itself on generosity and selflessness as well as the whole philosophy of Islam (and both advocate for frugalism and "green" consciousness or ecologism).

 

 

Your thoughts fellow Solers about promoting that kind of vision or similarly inspired political platforms at home (with the caveat of pitiless anti-corruption accompanying high levels of taxation)?

[ElPunto]

I'm not sure that model works as well as claimed. Let's see if they will be able to fund their welfare state in the future as the proportion of the elderly increases and immigration is kept at low levels. 'Solidarity'? I think the Swedish born children of immigrants in urban ghettoes would have something to say about that. And the fact that speaking perfect Swedish and knowing the culture hasn't helped them to land jobs. I would also question the level of entreprenuership being high - when most of the working age population is employed by the government, almost necessarily a bureaucracy - how much risk taking and independant thinking can really be fostered?

 

Islam appeals to public well-being in a radically different way than the mandatory high tax regimes in Scandanavia. I'm not sure that one ought to be substituted for the other even though the end goal may be the same. Overall - this model has a lot to offer but we as Muslims have got our own models(sadly all theory currently) that we should strive for.

[Taleexi]

Any system would've been better substitute for Somalia if implemented- Now, we've NONE. As far as the Nordic countries' way of governance is concerned, their hybrid of Socialism and capitalism works well in their societies - industrialized, less densely populated, and higher literacy rate therefore it would be a toll order on us for transitioning.

[Abu-Salman]

Actually, my choice of the Nordic models had to do with the desire to stay "relevant" with the Westerncentric folks;

one could indeed quote much less prosperous nations (financially at least) that provide much more efficiently public services or safety nets: Cuba with its first class education and health services as well as export of cheap medical expertise worldwide, Jordania with its "medical tourism industry", Costa Rica, cases studies such as Iran, Tunisia or even Sri lanka etc (Arab states from Egypt to richer ones have impressive social policies and particular achievements, though environmental awareness is still low).

 

What is really remarkable is that all that is achieved with much less resources than in the world leading wealth concentrations of California, North-East, Fairfax and other US corridors (Cuba, for instance, has been declared the most environmentally efficient country with its very little footprint yet better public services than vastly richer states).