Sweden: Paradise on Earth?

[Gangerolf]

I don't think they outlawed it. At least not sports betting...

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by Berzerker

Without the west, Sweden would have been ideologically swallowed up over the last 60-70 years.

We are - by the West.

Switzerland has a very large army but a small standing army, does Sweden rely on militia?

We had a standing army of 40-50 000 men, which would be 700 000 after mobilisation.

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Even the Swedes see the problem and trimming their welfare system...

As I said earlier in this thread, our system is rather liberal than socialist since the last few decades. So you are right there.

[Gangerolf]

They're strict on other "immoral" stuff though, like prostitution (buying sex is illegal) and alcohol.
But not mainly for moral reasons mind you, but rather feminism gone overboard and health issues.

[Pekka]

This makes me think if people have unrealistic views about other countries they seem to be knowing a lot more than others.

First of all, some people here claim it's the paradise and perfect. Wow. It's a great country but it's not perfect. And like CO said, it's not socialist. Some socialists/commies here seem to be salivating all that suggests something close to socialism working somewhere, that it 's the best thing and there's the proof. But it isn't even a socialist country, really. Same goes for all 'fans' of systems. They hear good things about it somewhere and they don't even bother to check the facts, it's working perfectly there, it's a paradise and that's it. Very little critique. Like believing you can fly.

The other side of the group is the ones who think the opposite of the system. As if Sweden is about to fall. Come on. Who of you have actually even visited Sweden? Or taken an interest what happens there, more than jsut few articles a year? How can some people claim they know anything about Sweden anyway? Well the Swedes in here can of course, but msot of you have very little idea of the big picture of the country. You just pick what you like and go with it. Or you pick what you don't like and go with that. That's like the most biased way of seeing things. Blinders on my boys and full steam ahead!

Some people seem to remember they took neutrality in WWII. So? Sweden has fought numerous battles in its history. They have more battles in their account than most of us.

There are only few countries, that have taken a reasonable route, meaning they have experience and they have learned from it well, that function today who have had a bit of glory too. One of them is UK. They were imperialistic bastards for a long time. But they seem to be quite nice now and well off. One of course is Sweden. They had their moments too. But now they know better and play smart. They don't feel like they have to live up the legacy and start stirring up crap, for old times sake. And yes they still have a King. They had the Vikings, and they've had all kinds of bloody adventures. So they missed one big rumble, is that so bad? Their first responsibility is to their own citizens. Looking at the picture now, after it's all said and done, they did the right thing, holding on to that priority, succesfully. We might not like it, but losers always whine anyway.

[Berzerker]

yea, Germany declared war on the US, after we declared war on Japan.

Yup, thats correct.

[Imran Siddiqui]

First of all, some people here claim it's the paradise and perfect.

I think that may have been a troll by Aggie .

[Pekka]

All I'm saying is, I feel I have some experience and knowledge about our neighbours, and it would be the country I know the most of outside my own country, so some of these statements made by furriners seem a bit odd. It shows me they really do not know a lot about Sweden in a big arena of things, just some things. They might have heard about some battles, or read about them in the past, vikings, ikea, volvo, h&m, stockholm is the capital, been there once for a day or two, nice chicks, king, swedish meatballs, hockey, princess, neutral, 'socialist', next to norway, part of scandinavia. That's what most people know. Then that somehow makes you have a license to make all professional statements about the place. Right.

[Ted Striker]

All I know is that Princess has nice boobs.

[Berzerker]

Some people seem to remember they took neutrality in WWII. So? Sweden has fought numerous battles in its history. They have more battles in their account than most of us.

WWII was a bad time to become neutral, tens of millions died and many more would have died if the Axis won. If you can't get off the fence when the morality of resistance is so obvious, what good are ya?

The other side of the group is the ones who think the opposite of the system. As if Sweden is about to fall.

"Fall"ing means economic decline followed by reform of the system, not oblivion. And this has already happened, Sweden is being passed on the list of wealthy nations and they are "trimming" their system to increase competitiveness.

[Pekka]

Right, the thing I was meant to say was that what ever Sweden's economy is looking now, or in the past few decades, or the future interpretations.. it's really not a indicator of anything at all. Not in favour of socialism, not in favour of capitalism, not in favour of anything really. This is the guess circle, where assumptions are made on top of assumptions etc, and we believe that to be true. But there are lot of premisses we just made up or didn't know anything about at all. So basically I'd say every interpretation is BS.

[Ted Striker]

I agree with Pekka

[Monk]

Originally posted by Pekka
That's what most people know. Then that somehow makes you have a license to make all professional statements about the place. Right.

In principle you're right. People do this all the time - whether it's Sweden, the United States, France, Germany or just about all others. Hell, I've probably done so myself once in a while.

So I guess the moral of the story is to get out and visit other countries. Right now, that one day in Malmø is all I can afford - but later on there's work to be done

[Berzerker]

All I know is that Princess has nice boobs.

[Ted Striker]

[Imran Siddiqui]

WWII was a bad time to become neutral, tens of millions died and many more would have died if the Axis won. If you can't get off the fence when the morality of resistance is so obvious, what good are ya?

Um... actually for Scandinavia, the choices were Nazi Germany OR the USSR. The morality of resistance isn't so obvious there.