Scandanavian social benefits: talking points wanted

[oscar111]

Please give me a list of facts showing the superiority of social benefits in scandanavian countries.
{and any related superiorities you wish to list..eg higher union rate, eg lower jobless rate}

eg, higher pensions
eg, longer unemployment payments

Of course, would like any numbers you have for each.

I am trying to avoid being sent to long articles.. short on time. Want "just the facts". Tired of hearing "Swedes commit suicide more than we do". Need to hear the superiority of scandaniavian societies.

Thank You

[cprise]

1. It's not Scandanavia

The other developed countries are pulling away from us in quality of life because they have democratically maintained socialism as a significant part of their political cultures. Thus, there are at least two competing narratives for prosperity that gives politicians a wider set of tools to promote healthier economies. Also, major conflicts of interest are tolerated far less in that kind of competitive environment.

In fact, most of the Left parties in prosperous countries like Japan, France, UK and even Canada to an extent have ACTUAL MEMBERSHIP in organizations such as this http://www.socialistinternational.org

This is politically impossible in the US. The Democrats will half-heartedly try to duplicate some of the results of social-democratic political cultures (such as copying the idea of universal healthcare) but it is like picking an apple from an orchard, dropping it in the desert and epecting the seeds to produce healthy trees.

Liberalism alone cannot make a sufficiently compelling case for socialized services. And over here, Democrats turn pale and run away when they are accused of being socialists.

My short answer is that these other countries retain their economic alternatives, whereas we have not. Today we are a one-system country; one ideology with two well-marketed brands.

If you cannot effectively communicate a class-conscious view of society and economics, then the actual social policies will not follow or they will wither. This is something the left in the US needs to work on in the serious way; just do not be surprised if the Democratic party tries to oblitterate those efforts as it has in the past.

[Les BOOGIE]

2. In Denmark even a foreigner can get free health care unless it is

determined that that is why they traveled to Denmark

[oscar111]

3. thanks for the replies! anyone

else have stuff to add?

[Stockholm]

4. Don´t have any figures

but if you want a quick over-view of SS etc. in Sweden you can visit the website of the Swedish Social Insurance Administration (a government agency). There you will find a popular version in English describing the various elements of the Social Insurance.

http://www.forsakringskassan.se/sprak/eng/

[Flying Flyn]

5. Dont forget Belgium

If I'm not entirely mistaken Belgium has the "best" socieal security in the world. What I have heard is that when you get sick in Belgium you dont even have to leave your windmill if you dont feel like it - you just call to the hospital and the doctor comes to you. I bet they have to pay insane taxes. Anybody from Belgium who could confirm this?

PS: Scandinavia consist of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. If one wishes to talk about this region in the wellfare state context, then nordic countrys is a better term, cos it also includes the republics: Finland and Iceland.

[Flying Flyn]

6. Duh!

What was I thinking? There's no windmills in Belgium. It's a Dutch thing isn't it?