When most people hear the world “socialism” they immediately equate it with communism. In its infant stage in the early 1800’s this may have been true but the evolution of democratic socialism more nearly resembles capitalism with a social conscience. Exemplary examples of democratic socialism are the Scandinavian countries where capitalism thrives despite corporations being required to pay high taxes. The philosophy is that no corporation’s interests are held higher than the individual’s greater good.
Quite simply what this means is that corporations and individuals are taxed on what we may perceive as the high side but the result is significant social benefits distributed to persons equally. This includes high quality health care (inclusive of pharmaceuticals), senior pensions at a level commensurate with a similar standard of living to when they were working, post secondary education is free, infrastructure is developed with urban growth rates and unemployment and social services are also at a level where individuals may live in dignity. The individual rights are respected above the rights of corporations and yet these countries are thriving.
- The economy of Norway is a developed mixed economy with heavy state-ownership in strategic areas of the economy. Although sensitive to global business cycles, the economy of Norway has shown robust growth since the start of the industrial era. Shipping has long been a support of Norway's export sector, but much of Norway's economic growth has been fueled by an abundance of natural resources, including petroleum exploration and production, hydroelectric power, and fisheries. Agriculture and traditional heavy manufacturing have suffered relative decline compared to services and oil-related industries, and the public sector is among the largest in the world as a percentage of the overall gross domestic product. The country has a very high standard of living compared with other European countries, and a strongly integrated welfare system.
- Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. Denmark, with a mixed market capitalist economy and a large welfare state, ranks as having the world's highest level of income equality. Denmark has frequently ranked as the happiest and least corrupt country in the world. Denmark has been a member of the European Union since 1973, although it has not joined the Eurozone. Denmark is a founding member of NATO and the OECD. Denmark is also a member of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
- Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy of government and a highly developed economy. In 2010, it ranked fourth in the world in The Economist's Democracy Index and ninth in the United Nations' Human Development Index. In 2010, Sweden had the fastest economic growth and highest innovation in the European Union, while the World Economic Forum ranked Sweden as the second most competitive country in the world. Sweden is recognized as an industrial and technological leader in several fields.[
As you can see, these countries are strong forward thinking countries. Socialism benefits society as a whole providing all individuals with a dignity that is certainly not illustrated in the United States. Homelessness is unheard of in any of the Scandinavian countries and poverty does not exist at all. What is there to be afraid of by having compassion for your fellow man? The United States has more churches per capital than any country in the world and yet does not live by the Golden Rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. In other words, by paying taxes that will support persons you may think of as derelicts you will eventually be raising up society as a whole. Forward thinking is a good thing.
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