Now Playing at Reason.tv: Swedish Myths and Realities

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."

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Comments

adrian | August 6, 2008, 12:22pm | #

is this the whole thing? seems a little short.

Warty | August 6, 2008, 12:36pm | #

I don't think about ABBA and Ikea when I think about Sweden, I think about Opeth and Amon Amarth. As such, I am convinced that Sweden is awesome.

Mark Borok | August 6, 2008, 2:06pm | #

When I think about Swedish myths, I think about the Moomintrolls. Then I remember they're Finnish and think about something else.

Just out of curiousity, how many people are leaving Sweden to escape its socialist hell?

mick | August 6, 2008, 4:22pm | #

Reading that book many years ago made me switch to libertarianism...

And Borok they may not leave the hellhole but they will definitly travel for health care. Except for the poor people, see in America you go bankrupt if you get a huge disease, in Sweden you just die and get a socialized funeral (but at least you didn't experience financial ruin!)

Matt J | August 6, 2008, 5:19pm | #

I think of the Swedish Bikini Team and saunas.

Often simultaneously.

Jacob | August 6, 2008, 6:40pm | #

The Reason.tv theme song, which part of the '70s did you dig it up from?

George | August 6, 2008, 6:49pm | #

I feel obliged to say that I think that Michael Moynihan looks exactly like Gerard Butler, the guy from 300.

Phil | August 6, 2008, 7:36pm | #

These videos are great. Thank You Reason.tv

Ben | August 6, 2008, 10:20pm | #

When I think of Sweden, I think of Swedish Erotica which was first exposure to hardcore porn when I was a kid. When of I think of it now, I simply read of the growing populations of Muslims in their cities who come from the ME and North Africa who live in their unassimilated communities ruled by de facto Sharia law. And when native Swedes dare venture there, they are routinely assaulted and laughed at by the followers of the death cult founded by history's most pedophile. They know that socialist and multiculturalist Sweden will not actually punish them but will punish Swedes who defend themselves. Even Swedish women are often subject to violate gang rapes.
Makes me wonder exactly why so many Libertarians support open borders and pro-illegal immigration policies.

Brandybuck | August 7, 2008, 12:29am | #

Makes me wonder exactly why so many Libertarians support open borders and pro-illegal immigration policies.

You don't see too many roving wetback rape gangs. There's a reason why Europe's immigrants are riotous whiners and ours are hard working productive members of society. It's because we don't coddle them. Legal immigrants can't get here unless they've got a job (or going to school). Illegal aliens come here to work. Contrary to Dobbs and Tancredo, neither group gets welfare.

In Europe, however, they'll let anyone immigrate, but segregate them into ghettos and won't let them take jobs away from citizens. So you end up with gangs of bored unemployed youth with nothing better to do but to riot.

Francisco Torres | August 7, 2008, 2:42am | #

Just out of curiosity, how many people are leaving Sweden to escape its socialist hell?[/quote]

How many leave France's, or Germany's? Migrating is not an easy decision, even if people live in a socialist hellhole like Sweden. Think of it, many Swedes do not wish their hell on the next generation, so they have as few kids as humanly possible.

swede in exile | August 7, 2008, 4:54am | #

@Ben

Admittedly I haven't lived in Sweden for three years and only visited there 3-4 times a year recently but your description of roving muslim gangs in our cities are news to me?

If you are talking about the areas like Hammarkullen/South of Liljeholmen/Rosengård then well yeah it can be rough but it's hardly downtown Fallujah no. And the most violent gangs (OGs/FFL/etc) are as I'm sure you know decidedly agnostic.

As for rape, sure you didn't just fail to check the ethnicity of the convicted of our latest round of rapes in the capitol?

Or possibly, are you just making shit up as you go along?

Anyone who wants to get a feel for what's on in Sweden can read this paper aimed at foreigners living in Sweden, starting with this typical Swedish problem http://www.thelocal.se/13222/20080723/

lunacy | August 8, 2008, 11:58pm | #

From now on, when I think of Sweden I'm gonna think of how hot Johan is.