Sweden: Poorer Than You Think

Ludwig von Mises Institute ^ | 5/16/2002 | William L. Anderson

[rohry]

It seems that the Swedish Chef from Sesame Street is here because of a lack of opportunities in his home country!

[rohry]

OK, I'm really bored! Here's another good article from the folks in Auburn, AL...

[SolitaryMan]

I like their meatballs........., oh and lets not forget ABBA.

[larryjohnson]

Save to maybe send to my Swedish cousins,some coming to poverty part of socialist Maine next month.

[A Navy Vet]

Additionaly, an important factor the Maxist economists forget or refuse to factor in is human nature. Take away the rewards to produce and and you take away the producers' ambition. No ambition to produce equals no production - simple.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

And the Germans are going to Great Britain (England) for medical and dental care. Very interesting article!

[Drango]

oh and lets not forget ABBA

I've been trying to forget ABBA for years. Almost had 'em totally out of my memory banks till you brought 'em up again...

[Straight Vermonter]

I haven't yet fogiven them for the 80s hair band "Europe".

[elbucko]

Really great post, rohry. Lots of info for the mind to chew on, i.e.;

"governments are forced to cannibalize their own capital structure over time in order to make the system to continue to work."

".and if the disease is not arrested, much of Europe will tumble off into real poverty in the not-so-distant future. Is this..Spring Time for Hitler?..in 2025

"Europeans--and, most likely, Americans--seem destined to learn Such a statement turns the age-old theory of exchange--that economic exchanges create mutual beneficiaries--upon its head.

Socialism, the cannibalization of ones own economy.

[Senator Pardek]

Oh, man - I forgot about them! How schmaltzy!

[elbucko]

"Marxist economists forget or refuse to factor in is human nature."

They sure do. I have often wondered why the Left is just so jealous of wealth. Because they don't have any? (the Kennedy's) I'm not wealthy and I am only annoyed at myself, not the guy in the Rolls Royce. BTW, the person in the RR doesn't make that stainless steel radiator cover, but a skilled craftsman does. The rich don't make their toys, working people do. I am happy to make and sell to them whatever they want (as long as its legal and moral), and I make a profit.

[SC DOC]

Can you believe ABBA turned down ONE BILLION DOLLARS to go on a world tour!

[SolitaryMan]

Sorry about that, but do you remember their song Dancing Queen?

[July 4th]

Can you believe ABBA turned down ONE BILLION DOLLARS to go on a world tour!

That's because after they paid their taxes, they would have had about enough left to go to McDonalds for a Happy Meal.

[rohry]

Hey, elbuco I'm going to put you my bump list, OK? It's an economic bump list. Things about the economy based on the Austrian School of economics.

[CrazyIvan]

I have a good friend who is a Swede over here working for an American company. Your post would be no news to him. Almost two years ago the Swedish government confiscated his and almost everyone elses Swedish equivelent of an American IRA becouse it was short on cash. His claim is that if it were not for a large export of hydro-electriciy they would be in even worse shape.

[Prodigal Son]

The rich don't make their toys, working people do.

I know what you're saying but that generalization doesn't hold true in a lot of cases. Bill Gates is a good example. He doesn't do the elbow grease stuff any longer but he did. Steve Jobs. Henry Ford is another good example. Michael Dell. Thomas Edison. Sam Walton (although he didn't so much make products as he did sell them). All self made men. All of them did make the toy that everyone else wanted. They all sweated and sacrificed and put in unthinkable hours to make it happen.

[rmlew]

In defense of the Swedes, let me first say that simple comparisons of income can be deceiving. While I have never been to Sweden (even though I have relatives there), I would think that even the poorest sections of Stockholm and other Swedish cities are more livable and attractive than what one finds in many U.S. cities. Even with the high taxes, I think I would rather live in downtown Stockholm than in downtown Detroit or Newark.

The immigrant and Refugee sections of Malmo, Gotenborg, Boras, and Stockholm are not nice. They may not be the pre-Giulliani South Bronx but there is crime, drugs, and despondancy. These predominantly Msulim immigrant areas are known for muggings, rapes, and other assaults.

[Kermit]

Don't think about pink elephants either. Once they're in your head, you can't get them out again. Just a friendly tip.;^)

[let freedom sing]

Bill Gates doesn't look like he ever sweat a day in his life.