Reason Magazine: Michael Moynihan- Interviewing Johan Norberg: 'Swedish Myths and Realities'

Source:Reason Magazine- Swedish author and Cato Institute fellow, Johan Norberg.

"Johan Norberg, author of In Defense of Global Capitalism, sits down with reason.tv's Michael C. Moynihan to sort out the myths of the Sweden's welfare state, health services, tax rates, and its status as the "most successful society the world has ever known." 

From Reason Magazine

Sweden may be the most successful social democracy in the World: social democracy is the type of economy and government that they have. Their economy is mix between private and public, with a large private sector and private companies with a huge public sector. (At least by American standards) With a large welfare state to provide a lot of services for their people: health care, health insurance, education , pensions, transportation, etc. 

Sweden's living standards are very good and matchup pretty well with America. This is not the type of governmental system that I would like to see in America. Sweden is a large country physically like Libya, bigger then Afghanistan actually, but with only 9M people. Compared with Afghanistan roughly 27M people. Also similar to Libya, a lot of land, but lightly populated. Sweden would be like New Jersey in population. 

So the Swedish system wouldn't work here I believe nor would Americans who tend to love their freedom and government not interfering with that. Would never vote people into power, give them the White House and Congress, who would try to turn America into Sweden. Maryland, where I live and from is one of the highest taxed states in America: we have roughly 6M people where the State Government provides a lot of services or spends a lot of money on the services they provide. We I believe are also the wealthiest State in the Union at least from a per-capita standpoint. 

America as a whole is a very low taxed country compared with our competitors. You don't see every other state in the Union trying to design their government around Maryland a state that I love and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. 

Marylanders put up with the high taxes because of what they get in return: a great public education system, roads, colleges, economy, recreation, parks, scenery, etc. But Texas which is also a very wealthy state, but also a very low taxed state especially compared with Maryland. California might be the highest taxed state in the Union and not even Californians would say their government is too efficient. Look at their debt and deficit. (To use as examples) 

Democratic Socialists in America love to point to Sweden as its model, their Socialist Utopia and use them as their reference to try to convince Americans that we should be more like Sweden. You can't really compare the economies and countries, both countries deal with different populations and issues. For example Sweden doesn't have to deal with 1M new immigrants every year like America has to and wouldn't be able to deal with them if they had to. 

What works in Sweden, works very well in Sweden and Denmark, Britain, and France. But these countries including Sweden, are already in the process of reexamining their welfare states. And looking for ways to make them more cheaper and more efficient. Something America needs to do as well. Sweden is a beautiful country that I would love to visit at some point and see, especially their women and eat their food. Well, do these things in the summer. (Assuming they have one) Their winters are brutal. 

Sweden is not a model for what would work in America. What works in America is what we used to do as a country and is something we need to get back to.