Socialism is legalized theft. I will oppose this practice until the day I die. There is no good argument for socialism.
Look at history and facts and you will see that it will never work. Unless you are don't care about facts or common sense.
Wait, what??! You mean to tell me a guy is educated, and black, and he advocates against millennials and socialism?
"Why aren't Americans out in the streets on mass."? Luckily Trump got us out of the nutty Paris Climate Accord so we're not paying $6+ for gas. We're too busy recreating.
I can't believe this thread is still going. What sane adult wants to even consider socialism? Sent from my Moto E (4) using Grasscity Forum mobile app
What in your opinion makes your guys' blend of socialism and capitalism seemingly so successful? Education? Resources? Strict Immigration laws? Low population? I presume you will say all of the above. But what is the key factor in your opinion? Sent from my SM-G935V using Grasscity Forum mobile app
It's a very good question, Mr. Raider. I think the answer is super complicated; I can only venture. I've not forgotten our disagreement on warfare and anarchy - it has put me quite deep in my own country's internal history. Especially given the vast increase in multiculturalism here since my adulthood, I'm growing more and more confident that there is no 'wise way' to run any single nation - and that the wise way to run it depends on so many small factors, from culture of education to available resources, culture of conflict, culture of power structure. Culture, culture, culture. Could go on endlessly. So, in a sentence, if I had to answer your question, it's a correct alignment with all the things you mention (which itself is a highly delicate balance) on top of a very delicate balance of cultural and resource parameters that also have to be in tune. TLDR: Culture > all. The rest is window dressing
I only ask because just this morning I was thinking about all the money squandered here in california as I read about the new gun laws that are going into effect here in my home state. California as you might know is the worlds 6th biggest economy on its own. Your own country ranks 12th. California has a population of 39 million, Norway is around 5 million. California gdp is a staggering 2.5 trillion, norway is 400 billion. taking these numbers into account and the living standards what in your view is the reasoning for the huge discrepancy in outcomes? We are in debt here in cali at the tune of 1.3 trillion (roughly 50% gdp) dollars which is 33,000 dollars for every resident owed. Our school systems, government aid housing sector, roads and infrastructure are all sharply declining and the debt is mounting. Your guys debt is 155 billion at 35% gdp which is 31,000 usd per resident and is rapidly growing. What gives you so much hope that it can sustain and what makes you so sure you wont end up like california?
It's a bit of a meandering answer and goes on, so let me knock up some bullet points: I don't have that much hope, maybe I've overstated my confidence, so let me knock it back down to where it is for you. We're a tiny, tattered country, blowing in the fierce winds of the world. Doesn't take much to loosen from the pole and go hurtling into the storm. Here are the points I see as indicating, well, that we won't have a dystopian collapse. 1) Oil. Still there, still going to last for decades. Goldmine in our backyard for such a low population is an incredible card of fortune, and will be there for some time still. 2) The oil fund. We've discussed this before, but it is the pillar I lean on for the foreseeable future. The debt you mentioned is negligible compared to the oil fund. The country has a trust fund, but doesn't always behave like a trust fund kid. 3) An increasingly skill-based population. As long as those skills can be sold for profit and taxed internally, that's massive. Money for nothing and your chicks for free, that's how it feels, right now. Which is a small but important part of why you see me freaking out over so much third world immigration - it's so god damn expensive to bring them up to the standard we need. That skill base gives flexibility, as per my understanding. All the educated people I know are good at learning new things, because school teaches you how to learn, too. Will that skill-based economy last, is it enough to transition into, and have a sustainable national economy? No, I don't think so. A shitty one. 4) Misc natural resources. Fish and lumber don't go out of style. It's a drainable resource, though, so it can't be over-farmed. 5) Favorable network of trade deals and alliances. We're positioned well with all the major partners of the world, save China. Does this matter much in the long run? No, I guess not. 6) Population stagnant. There's not a massive rise in the population, here. The retirement wave is going to be an issue - we'll have to raise the age, as we've been doing steadily for I think 20 years now, and most likely I won't be seeing much other than what I put aside when I retire 40 years from now. EDIT: The rest is why I think it may not go so well And, thinking of it, my actions speak louder than my words when it comes to the future of Scandinavia. I'm making as much money as I can now for good reason, man, I want my soon-coming kids to have all I had and more. I don't trust to this future, and I don't think the party will last beyond my grandkids. Money, however, money has always solved problems for as long as people have been around, and it's better to get yours than get nothing. And I'm getting mine, out of fear more than greed or desire. Next door neighbour Sweden is already degrading their welfare systems drastically, to pay for all the new countrymen. Teachers, schools, healthcare (especially "BB Vård" - the place where pregnant women go to give birth? Maternity ward? I dont know the english name, but its not uncommon for Swedes to go to Finland) and most critically of all the police force have all gone downhill hard. It's bad in DK and NOR too. Getting worse, too, quick. There's going to be drastic shortages of teachers coming up, there's already a shortage now. Oyvey. We in Scandinavia watch Sweden with timid, frightened eyes, and enact policies on the basis of their massive, ideological blunders. Denmark is going hard at it - you can now no longer switch educational specialties once you're a bit in, for instance, which used to be both free and commonly used, migrants are being shipped to a prison island and the ghettoes are being "cleaned up". So, I think it's not unfair to say that I'm bracing for the strong possibility that my children will inherit a tattered version of the benefits I receive, just as mine is a tattered version of the mountain of luxuries my dad surfed through life on in Norwegian Golden Age (1955-2005). ------------------------------- TLDR; Hopeful, not confident. Norway is well placed to surf the waves, but it's real easy to go under, and am preparing for that future. I predict lower standards of welfare coming.