5 Reasons Why We Need Sweden's Democratic Socialism | We The Internet TV

If you've been listening to politicians like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, then you've probably heard that Sweden is a paradise of democratic socialism. Free college, universal health care, mandatory family leave...you name it, Sweden's got it. It sounds almost too good to be true.

So Lou decided to fly to Stockholm to check it out for himself. In interviews with Swedish economists, scholars, and policy officials, Lou investigates what makes the Swedish economy work, and what lessons America can learn from it.

No spoilers, but you might be surprised by the answers.

What do you think of Sweden's economic model? Let us know in the comment section! And don't forget to like the video, share it with your friends, and subscribe to our channel! And click the bell to turn on notifications from us, so you don't miss any of our new videos.

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Starring, Written and Produced by: Lou Perez
Directed and Produced by: Carolyn McCulley
Director of Photography/Sound Recordist: David Ehrenberg
Second Camera/Assistant Camera: Jeremy Hall
Edited by: Carolyn McCulley

Featuring:
Johan Norberg
Andreas Bergh
Anders Manell
Mikaela Almerud
Linda Flink
Maria Sunér Fleming

Second Unit:
Directed by: Greg Burke
Director of Photography: Paul Rondeau
Assistant Camera/Gaffer: Saif al-Sobaihi
Sound: Fernando Castillo

Additional Editing by: Greg Burke
Graphics and Animation by: Eli Bock
Score by: Scott Hampton
Color Correction by: AJ Ferrer
Post-Production Audio by: Fernando Castillo

Producer & Head Writer: Lou Perez
Executive Producers: Rob Pfaltzgraff & Nick Reid
Creative Producer: Lana Link
Associate Producer: Jordan Best
Marketing Director: Allison Ryan

Special Thanks To:
Frayda Levin
The Conru Foundation
The Rodney Fund
The Richard E. Fox Charitable Foundation
Charles and Marie Robertson Foundation

[JohnGalt]

I absolutely love how Bernie Sanders said Denmark was socialist and then the next day the prime minister of Denmark said no we are not

[deepbluea]

From a post on twitter

Sweden: we are NOT socialists

Socialists: they are socialists

Venezuela: we are socialists

Socialists: they are not socialists

[thecallfam]

Two things Sweden has done that we should implement:
1- recognize a bad policy
2- change it

[theswordthatcutsnothing]

I love how the title literally tricks Google's algorithm to recommend the video. Genius.

[KarmasAB]

Insert people saying " it'll work this time."

[johng]

Not even Sweden call themselves a socialistic economy, The Leader of Sweden even asked Sanders to quit saying it.

[elpincheguero]

As an immigrant from Mexico. My parents escaped the corrupt policies of the left leaning PRI... Only to come here to see the youth support the same left leaning policies of the American left... Yeah...

[ZeeroDubs]

Unfortunately the people who need to see this probably won't.

[nonest]

Johan Norberg is one of the most anti socialist (and anti social democratic) journalists in Sweden. Take his interview with a heavy grain of salt.

[Draugh]

Sweden has never been socialist. We do not have "democratic socialism" here we have a strong influence of social democracy - and that is not socialist.

[yankeefederer]

This needs to be shown at every poli sci class in the US college system.

[christofferaxelsson]

As a Swede I can say that the picture painted in this video is incredibly inaccurate. First of the sources you've used are terrible, Johan Norberg for example is far right and thus heavily biased (he even had a party called Anarchy frontier). Secondly, it's clear you've done the (sadly) common mistake and assumed that Stockholm (Capital) politics is applicable to the entire country.

Exhibit A, private healthcare outside of the Capital is minimal. The long queues for health care as described in the video is the result of a quickly growing metropole whose health care didn't keep up. Mainly because the muncipalities that the Capital consists of have heavily reduced taxation to further grow it's population. So, no matter if you are pro or against private health care, the video does not reflect reality. Nor does the arguments.

Exhibit B, Swedish university education is free. The debt which is mentioned (that, by the way has a 0, 16% interest and life-long pay-off time), is a voluentary loan that can be taken to increase living standard and removes the need to work aside from your studies. In reality, this loan is in it's entirety spent on rent and pleasure (alcohol, food etc). This stems from the fact that Swedes in general move to their own independent home by the age 18-20. Now if you are from the capital with it's high rents and still want to have your own place and study at one of the local universities, you are going to accumulate quite a high debt. However saying that going to university in Sweden accumulates debt is wrong on every level. It's like saying that visiting a resturant accumulates obesity, no your level and prefrence of consumption at the resturant affects this. Another thing not mentioned is that students recieve 2000 SEK monthly if they take the full loan, these 2000 kr are free and never to be repayed. For this reason a lot of students, me included when I studied, take the full loan and then use the actual loan to use as a none interest based loan to lay a fundation for a cheaper morgage which otherwise have a 2-4% interest. In other words, students go in debt, but their general debt is lower and with lowered interest than if you took no student loan.

Exhibit C, Sweden does take from the rich and give to everyone (including the poor). If you earn more than 1.5 that of the avarage wage, which this year is considered ~ 55.000 SEK a month, you pay an additional 20-25% tax on anything above this sum. Meaning that on all money earned above ~55k SEK per month you pay 49-57% tax depending on your muncipality (lowest in the capital region). In other words, the taxation system is built to benefit middle to upper middle income earners (ranging from 0.5 to 1.49 times the avarage salary). Meaning, the vast majority of the population. To say that the system punishes the middle class is the most inaccurate thing I've ever heard. If anything it shows how little Johan Norberg knows about the taxation system of our country.

It makes me sad that this video has provided such inaccurate information for so many people. If you are not going to use reliable sources and instead interview a pro-anarchy author and people who are completely unknown, then atleast use a disclaimer that the conclusions made are opinion based.

If you want to make an accurate video, feel free to send questions to me and I'll be happy to find you proper sources to answer your question correctly. Or you can, you know, just interview someone who works with economics and such. Instead of interviewing an author on the subject.

(My first ever thumbs down on a youtube video)

[quezcatol]

I am Swedish / jag är svensk when my grandma got cancer, she never got treatment and died. My dad had to wait 1 year for a knee surgery- be very caution what you wish for. "free" means waitlines A LOT OF TIME.

[emiljunvik]

When americans realize that we in sweden pay 60% income tax and 25% tax on everything we buy, and 6$/gallon on fuel, I bet you'll change your mind about socialism.

[shamcra]

Disclaimer: Johan Norberg isn't our official spokesman. I see him appearing in many videos about sweden's politics and society. I suspect that he announces his interest in explaining how Sweden works for all the uninitiated. I'm just saying that you might listen to more people from different angles.

[jackshitz]

Vlad Lenin also called himself democrat socialist. Until he allowed one election & lost it.

[nickanthony]

Sadly, a YouTube comedy channel is more informative than any dedicated news outlet.

[TheIrishny]

2010 Socialists: Chavez has found a new way in Venezuela. Hes proven socialism works!

2020 Socialists: Venezuela was never socialist, and its a straw man argument to suggest it was!

[anyviolet]

I'd had no idea about how the Swedish economy got to where it is today. (btw 10/10 on the bait and switch - heh) This is fast becoming my favorite YT channel.

[Matello]

Man i was so happy when i found this channel, you guys deserve to be way bigger. Funny content, with actual learning involved.