Photo from CNN
There has been much discussion regarding some of the remarks made about socialism in Scandinavia, particularly Denmark since the Democratic debate in the United States. A friend asked me to share any insight I might have gained regarding socialism in Denmark on my recent trip to Copenhagen. The Danes I spoke with indicated no issues with paying a tax that contributed to the collective good. They specifically praised generous maternity benefits and an employment benefits for when you are hurt or sick. The assumption in Denmark is that if you are down for the count its for a valid reason, so society will help you get back up on your feet rather than assuming the person is lazy and/or milking the system.
Some have construed part of the tax here as “hidden.” I am not entirely sure what that means but I suspect it has to do with sales tax being included in all advertised prices. The way items are priced in Denmark is the same way it is priced in all of Europe, with prices advertised already including the tax. I want to say all the receipts I got contained a breakdown of how much of it was tax, so yes its not same visibility as we have in the States, but the way sales tax is done in Denmark is not inconsistent with the rest of Europe.
Others have mentioned the high cost of gasonline. Gas is expensive throughout much of the world, this is a very US centric point to bring up and I find it not relevant as a criticism against the socialistic way of life in Scandinavia. The car tax is very high (180% in Denmark), but those very taxes are used to fund a cheap, safe, friendly, and very efficient public transportation infrastructure. No one described a culture of tax evasion or a poor business or hiring environment that is any worse than in other parts of Europe.
It is reported that there is a high suicide rate in this region of the world. My initial thought is the weather may contribute to this phenomenon because sunlight seems to be scarce in this part of the globe. It caught me by surprise to see the large number of people out in the rain walking around. It was explained to me that rain doesn’t stop the crowds because if it did no one would ever go out. I think its important to remember that correlation does not imply causation.
These thoughts are based on my observations with a few Danes in the capital city of Copenhagen in the past week.
// Oliver – Day 39 – Sweden