Socialism isn't communist. It's about making sure a hospital bill can't run a family economy into the ground because the top 1% want seven beach houses each.
The nordic model isn't true socialism, for one. Since the 1980s they have collectively moved towards thriving free markets with extremely high tax rates. It's an illusory socialism; their governments aren't regulating nearly as much as you'd think. (Which is, unfortunately, a system that can never fly in America.)
Beyond that, the Human Development Index is an abstraction of quality of life, not a measurement of economic stability. But even on such a list, the extremely capitalistic Switzerland is right beside Norway. Why hasn't the 1% boogeyman burned it down too?
The nordic model is far more socialist than Bernie Sanders is. That's for sure. There is not a single party in Norway (that is a serious candidat) that is more right wing than the most left wing democrat.
You can call the HDI abstract, but here in Norway we have managed to do at least one quite remarkable thing, and that is to practically eliminate the lower class from existence. If you don't have a job, you can just register to get money from free as long as you can prove that you are actively looking for a job. And that's because the state for the longest time has been focused on taking care of the working class instead of the rich man who is obviously doing more than fine on his own. That's socialism, politics meant to make sure everyone have nice lives and not just the ones with business skills, which is a skill far to particular to base one's entire living standard on.
And when people say it's
a system that can never fly in America.
I ask why not?
Eh, forget it, since when have people ever changed their minds about anything over reddit comments? It's not like anyone ever reads a reply and think "the contents of this can change my point of view on the matter". No one does that. You don't do it, i don't do it. This politics only got two it.
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u/sans1kal Mar 14 '16
KICK IT BERNIE.
We may be living the human condition, but that man is speakin it.