... Scandinavia: an Ongoing Problem. Proof that Abba was over-rated, if any be needed, is that Walker Lundy, The Inquirer's former editor (of unhappy memory), was a fan.
Sweden has other problems besides publicly funded indie bands. There's an election there Sunday and, according to the WWall Street Journal, "Whoever wins the elections will inherit big problems. Sweden still has one of the highest income tax rates and most expensive welfare systems in the OECD. Unemployment is officially 4.5%, but it rises to 17% if the hidden jobless (people on sick leave, retraining or in early retirement) are included, according to the McKinsey Global Institute. High labor costs and iron-clad firing rules prevent companies from hiring. Youth unemployment is 25.9%, according to Eurostat."
This article also reports that Sweden boasts "22,000 early 'retirees' under the age of 30." No wonder they need to subsidize rock bands.
Thanks, Frank, an excellent deepening of my somewhat frivolously ill-tempered post.
ReplyDeleteArthur, I was going to comment along similar lines but you beat me to it. I have recently discovered Liza Marklund, who now has 4 crime novels translated into English. They are excellent books, not a bit lugubrious, and show quite a bit of insight into Sweden's sociopolitical problems as succinctly summarised by Frank. I hope you give her a try.
ReplyDelete(Can't remember if Karin Fossum is Swedish or other scandinavian, but she's good too.)