Dreamworld or dystopia? : the Nordic model and its influence in the 21st century

Author / Creator

Livingston, Michael A., author

Available as

Online

Summary

"Chapter One Introduction: The Nordic Model and its (Somewhat Surprising) Persistence Why the Nordic countries should be a model for anything is not immediately obvious. The Nordic lands are cold, ...

"Chapter One Introduction: The Nordic Model and its (Somewhat Surprising) Persistence Why the Nordic countries should be a model for anything is not immediately obvious. The Nordic lands are cold, somewhat isolated, and - with the exception of filmmakers, mystery writers, and the occasional social activist - have produced only a few famous personalities in the past century or so. Almost no outsiders speak the local languages, and indeed the Nordics don't always understand each other, as is demonstrated by the Swedes or Norwegians overheard speaking English in Copenhagen cafes. The most talented Nordics frequently leave the region for extended periods; some never come back. Yet the Nordic lifestyle retains a fascination beyond that of any comparable region. Books and articles, nearly all in English, tout the model's accomplishments and enumerate its challenges. An American presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, said the U.S. should look to "countries like Denmark, like Sweden and Norway" in designing social programs. A Finnish journalist went further describing Nordic life as superior to the American version in every conceivable way. Lighter works, with titles like "The Almost Nearly Perfect People" and "My Year of Living Danishly," fly off the bookshelves, while Nordic restaurants, cafes, and mystery novels attract an ever-widening audience"--

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