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Hi from Sweden, the greatest country on earth

1K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  Raven348 
#1 ·
Hello everyone

Just writing here from the greatest achievement of mankind, the country of Sweden.

I don't know if anyone else here is from this absolute marvellous and superior country.

I can also help anyone with info on how to be more like Sweden and Swedes. It's guaranteed to improve both standard of living and bring light to the world.

Of course another country can never be as good, but there's a lot of reasons to try even if you will never be as great.
 
#2 ·
Hope you are jokin' because everyone knows Canada is the best! :2thumb:

:welcome:
 
#4 ·
NaeKid: You are obviously misinformed. Have you ever been permitted to enter this greatest nation on earth?

Canadian: Those furniture you speak of (I assume it's IKEA) are not what we use ourself. We make them so other nations can get glimpse of what owning your own furniture is like, while at the same time building them so they break after a while, so people won't get to accustomed to such luxuries as tables and chairs.

You Canadians get to see the great benefit of not eating and sitting on the floor while not getting to comfortable with it.
 
#6 ·
Sverige

I can also help anyone with info on how to be more like Sweden and Swedes. It's guaranteed to improve both standard of living and bring light to the world.
Velkommen til board, Raven.

I've visited your country. It was, for the most part, very clean. I did not see so much trash about the railway.

Keeping the people moving, ScanRail is a good feature for your country.

However, with a tax rate of about 50% minimum, even your own countrymen complain.

In the mean time, be blessed.
 
#8 ·
kc5fm: You're obviously misinformed from American anti-socialist propaganda.

Income taxes in Sweden for the year 2009:
No tax for anything under 357 600 kronor.
Between 367 600 and 526 200 kronor there's 20% tax.
Over 526 200 kronor there is 25% tax.

Which mean you pay 25% tax if you make more than 64 490 dollars in a year.

Also, these taxes are used to make us better than any other country on earth. The average IQ is higher, people are better educated, richer, healthier and better looking.

How much income taxes do you have in USA and Canada? Don't you have to pay money to go to the doctor or go to school?
 
#9 ·
How much income taxes do you have in USA and Canada? Don't you have to pay money to go to the doctor or go to school?
Here in Alberta the tax (combined federal, provincial, city) is about 33% and there is no cost to our health-care. The provinces are individually taxed, so, I am not sure what their overall-tax level works out to be.

Our tax-laws are really weird, so, I let my little lady deal with it - she has worked as a tax-accountant for the majority of her working life.
 
#10 ·
Sverige again

kc5fm: You're obviously misinformed from American anti-socialist propaganda.
Actually, it's Scandinavian anti-socialist propaganda.

The folks that tell me these things are your countrymen and those living in the countries around you.

I have yet to find someone who's excited about paying taxes. You may be the first. :)

Also, these taxes are used to make us better than any other country on earth. The average IQ is higher, people are better educated, richer, healthier and better looking.

How much income taxes do you have in USA and Canada? Don't you have to pay money to go to the doctor or go to school?
And Danes are the most content people on the face of the planet. :beercheer:

In USA, I think I'm in a 30% tax bracket. My medical insurance is supplied by my employer.

When my Swedish exchange student was here, we visited a medical clinic operated by the Indian Health Service. The experience there was long lines, and even longer lines for appointments. His observation to me was that was much the same he experienced in Sweden.

If it is the same, what's wrong with the system we have now? I call the office, get an appointment, pay my copay, see the doctor, get the prescription for what ails me, and move along.

In the last 24 months, I've seen my Primary Care Physician less than six times. My wife takes the medications. I'm a former Emergency Medical Technician with enough skill left to keep me out of the emergency room. :D

As for the Kronor:

1 SEK in SEK
American Dollar 0.12645 7.90826

When I was there last the exchange rate was about four SEK for a dollar.

Obviously, the next trip is going to cost me twice what the last one did, and even more since I'm bringing my wife. I'm saving my airline miles now. ;)

I'm sure there are many good features about Sweden. I know a number of my friends comment of the cradle to the grave taxation and quickly add that they lack for nothing.

With the government taking care of you, what need is there to prepare for disasters?

I am not a survivalist but I know the government here will work speedily to overcome disaster challenges. I also know I'm responsible for the first 72 hours.
 
#11 ·
In USA, I think I'm in a 30% tax bracket. My medical insurance is supplied by my employer.
Is there really 30% income tax in USA? I may have misunderstood you, but is that just the government tax, or is it all the tax you pay (state tax, communal tax etc.)?

30% sounds extremely high considering how Americans always brag about how little taxes they have. I would have though USA would have had no more than 10% tax considering all the bragging.

As for being happy to pay taxes, yes I am. I just started college and they pay me to attend the school. In America, a person would have had to pay to go to school, which is impossible if they don't get a scholarship or rob a bank, and if they get shot while robbing a bank by the police or one of the millions of gun owners then one had to pay for medical treatment themselves. :2thumb:

And as for anti-socialism in Scandinavia, anyone would want to enjoy all the benefits of state sponsored things without actually paying taxes, so it's perfectly natural to complain about taxes regardless if you really want free health care or not. The question is, do you listen extra careful when someone says something negative about more left orientated countries? If so, then it is American anti-socialist propaganda that made you listen harder.

Anyway, it's a pointless argument since all countries take taxes from it's citizens, thus making it just a question of how much money is taken and for what they are being used.

So it's really just a matter of what you want. Iraq blown to pieces at the price of $3 trillion or free college, welfare for the poor, free health care, free retirement, free (skate and regular) parks and less crime for way less money.

^^I will be happy to bring more of this eye opening information to people who want their country to be more like the greatest nation on earth, Sweden.
 
#12 ·
wow, I was almost sold... :rolleyes: Sweden sounded so good I google-searched 'Sweden overall tax rate', ignoring any wikicrapia hits of course

Country rankings for trade, business, fiscal, monetary, financial, labor and investment freedoms

looks like New Zealand did VERY well for itself from 2008-2009

the scores are figured from 10 'freedoms' ... I chose 2 that seem closely related & have been discussed previously in this thread

Sweden information on economic freedom | Facts, data, analysis, charts and more

Fiscal Freedom = 35.0

Sweden has a very burdensome income tax rate and a moderate corporate tax rate. The top income tax rate is effectively 57 percent (when both national and municipal taxes are taken into account), and the corporate tax rate is 28 percent. Other taxes include a value-added tax (VAT) and a capital gains tax. The wealth tax was abolished in January 2007. In the most recent year, overall tax revenue as a percentage of GDP was 49.7 percent.

Government Size = 7.3

Total government expenditures, including consumption and transfer payments, are very high. In the most recent year, government spending equaled 55.6 percent of GDP. Spending has been reduced from over 60 percent of GDP in the 1990s but is still at one of the highest rates among OECD member countries. Public debt has fallen below 40 percent of GDP.

United States information on economic freedom | Facts, data, analysis, charts and more

Fiscal Freedom = 67.5

U.S. tax rates are burdensome. Both the top income tax rate and the top corporate tax rate are 35 percent. Other taxes include a property tax, an estate tax, and excise taxes, and additional income and sales taxes are assessed at the state and local levels. In the most recent year, overall tax revenue as a percentage of GDP was 28.2 percent.

Government Size = 59.6

Total government expenditures, including consumption and transfer payments, are high. Government spending has been rising and in the most recent year equaled 36.7 percent of GDP. Stimulus measures passed in the second half of 2008 promised to push government spending significantly higher.

screw everybody... I'm moving to Hong Kong! ... :D ;)
 
#13 ·
The_Blob: You're making assumptions based on your personal preferences. You're assuming lower taxes are always better. That's like comparing a motorcycle to a truck and make the assumption that the motorcycle is better since it's smaller and smaller being a priority of yours.

In a country with low taxes there are very few state sponsored necessities, people who aren't born rich, but still have potential are often forces to take low education jobs because they can't afford to go to school.

Also, the 28% corporate tax is somewhat offset by government sponsorship (when you provide workplace for others, you get monetary support).

I also read something interesting. Apparently there is no law in USA that requires anyone to pay taxes. It wasn't made any law because it would violate that old paper they have that was written by some guy when USA became a country.
 
#14 ·
The_Blob: You're making assumptions based on your personal preferences. You're assuming lower taxes are always better. That's like comparing a motorcycle to a truck and make the assumption that the motorcycle is better since it's smaller and smaller being a priority of yours.

In a country with low taxes there are very few state sponsored necessities, people who aren't born rich, but still have potential are often forces to take low education jobs because they can't afford to go to school.

Also, the 28% corporate tax is somewhat offset by government sponsorship (when you provide workplace for others, you get monetary support).

I also read something interesting. Apparently there is no law in USA that requires anyone to pay taxes. It wasn't made any law because it would violate that old paper they have that was written by some guy when USA became a country.
you obviously didn't bother to click any of the links I provided, the partial excerpts I provided aren't "my assumptions", these are facts

I would spend the time telling you how flawed each of your statements above are... but it boils down to: "you have NO IDEA what you are talking about"...

... but I suppose that is what I get for feeding a troll, MY bad
 
#15 · (Edited)
you obviously didn't bother to click any of the links I provided
I thoroughly read Hong Kong (nr.1), USA (nr.6), Canada (nr.7), Denmark (nr.8) and Sweden (nr.26).

the partial excerpts I provided aren't "my assumptions", these are facts
Supporting low taxes and low regulations on how to do business is called being "right wing" not being right, you seem to have the two confused.

I would spend the time telling you how flawed each of your statements above are... but it boils down to: "you have NO IDEA what you are talking about"...
Well, if you take Denmark's high score in Labour freedom (99,4) I do have a very good idea what I am talking about. I have friends who works/have worked in Denmark. What this means is that the employer can ask you to leave and don't come back any time and without explaining why or give a warning before it happens. You can for example work as a salesperson in a shop. In the middle of the day you employer can come and just say you're fired and he doesn't need to explain why.

In Sweden, the employer will give a warning before the firing takes place, you will have the right to continue work for a while (uppsägningstid = firing time) and the employer will tell you why you where fired. That way you have a fair chance of finding another job before you have to leave.

So in other words, Denmark receives a higher score because you can be more of an ass towards your employers in that country.

This list is about ECONOMICAL freedom. It's a list of where it's best to run a company and get to keep as much of your profit as possible. It really has nothing to do with standards of living and the rights of workers.

Just ask yourself this question: how many people in USA works full time jobs and still makes so little money that they have to rely on welfare?

One more thing: We are a parliamentary democracy with 7 political parties in the parliament. If we really wanted lower taxes (and the consequences of lower taxes) we would have voted for it. Unlike USA where you have only 2 parties capable of being elected to run the country and those two parties are both right wing (both democrats & republicans are right wing, making US elections pointless).
 
#16 ·
Preparedness

^^I will be happy to bring more of this eye opening information to people who want their country to be more like the greatest nation on earth, Sweden.
The eye-opening information I'd like to hear from you is the answer to my last question:

With the government taking care of you, what need is there to prepare for disasters?

Now I know Sweden has disasters. No country is immune.
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Sweden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia lists the aviation accidents.

Planes can fall in the most inconvenient spots. If one were to land outside your flat, what would you do until the authorities arrived? What if their arrival was delayed by hours? Days?

That's the purpose of this board, to share preparedness information. How do things work in Sweden?
 
#17 ·
kc5fm:

1. No government can provide 100% disaster preparedness. Like the Canadian said, the first 72 hours is always your own responsibility.

2. A lot of Swedes (including myself) travel a lot, which means we rely on other nations states.

3. The state isn't filled with survival enthusiasts, thus only the most common form of disasters have a plan of action. A state that is prepared 100% to deal with all emergencies (criminals, military invasion, fire, all kinds of natural disaster, bio- chemical- and nuclear disaster, comets, asteroids) would be so expensive 100% tax would not be enough.

4. Sweden isn't spared from any disaster, but natural disasters are rare.

5. The state doesn't exist to "take care" of people. If you say it does, then you've seriously misunderstood the idea. The state exist to give everyone a chance to take care of themselves. Unlike USA where you have to pay for everything (school, health care etc.) and poor people never get anywhere.
 
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