Jacob Christensen

And then there were the pawn shops. A surprising sight today at least for a Dane, but in this country you have them.

Is there some kind of logic behind this? As my colleague explained, I should remember that self-dependency is in fact essential up here. People simply don’t like to depend of their relatives or friends, or on charities for that matter. Pawning, on the other hand, is accepted if you are in dire straits.

And this is the first dimension where Sweden – yes Sweden, the country of sex, suicides and Socialism – would count as the most American country in Europe: Despite the big welfare state, Swedes are a bunch of individualists compared to most other European people. As it is, one of the aims of the welfare state is to promote self-sufficiency, and maybe self-sufficiency is even more important that redistribution?

But there is more: Sweden is a thoroughly Modern country. I can think of no other country which has embraced Modernity to the degree Sweden has. In a way, it is the Futurist dream (or nightmare) come true. OK: Without the glorification of violence. Whereas the aim of the Continental welfare states is to solidify social stratification, the Swedish welfare state is built on the dream of mobility. And it may be argued that the Swedes looked west and not south when they designed the modern welfare state.

And the Swedish state really is different from all other European states. Just like in the US, Swedish public administration is built on the principles of transparency and public service. Just move across Øresund, and the attitude among Danish politicians and bureaucrats is that you, the people, have no right to information or meddle in our affairs. In Sweden, not so: Mail lists are open, for starters.

The Swedish attitude to religion is curious. On the one hand, Swedes are among the least religious people in the world (mention G*d in a political speech at your own risk), on the other hand evangelical and even charismatic movements have always appealed to the Swedes. There is a strong tradition of non-conformist Christianity in Sweden and would an artist like Carola really stand a chance of being mainstream in any other European country? Maybe if she kept her religious convictions under wraps.

If Swedes often sound critical of the US, the reason is not that they feel alien to the American way of life. They are convinced that the Americans are Swedes at heart and if only the US would heed the Swedish lessons, it would indeed be that city upon the hill.