Scandinavia - working socialist economies?

[Arnfinn Madsen]

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Maximizing job creation or GDP growth has rarely been the main goal of Scandinavian governments, so the whole discussion is meaningless. The Swedish government is not stupid, they know that certain alternative policies would increase GDP faster. It is a choice.

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At least they're up front about the damage their policies are doing.

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Damage/success is very relative in this context. It is a value judgment. The Scandinavian model is more focused on increasing the utility of those who are worst off in society based on a philosophical belief that this is the main aim of the state, whereas in the US the economic model is more focused on high GDP based on the philosophical belief that this is the main aim of the society.

Of course this isn't black and white. Neither US or Scandinavia is on either extreme side of this spectre.