It’s the place where the pact was made that formed a union between Sweden, Denmark, and Norway in the 1397. It lasted 130 years. Then Sweden pulled out, and warred with Denmark for centuries!
After our tour, we found a Van Gogh exhibit which was fabulous!
Last day in Sweden! Rather sad, really. This country really does hold the national values I adree with. So, here’s how life works under social democracy.
When a child is born, the government gives parents 18 months of 80% pay. Usually mom takes the first 9, dad takes the second 9. Parents are paid $120 per child from birth. Sweden is consistently rated the best country in which to have a child.
Then, 18 months to 6 years old is daycare. The cost is sliding scale, from $60 to $150 per month, which includes food. 6 years old is preschool, free. They learn by playing together, and emphasis is placed on being children.
7 starts regular school, free of course. Class size is 20-25.
At 15 years old that $120 paid for each child begins to go directly to the child. They learn to budget and support themselves. Also, this is the age of consent. Of course they’ve had education about ‘these things’ already. There’s little teen pregnancy. It’s common for girl/boy friends to spend the night with each other in their parent’s home.
In 9th grade one chooses the education track-science, university, trades, society, etc.
18-graduation, move out of the family home. Usually take a year off before university, work or intern, or travel.
University tuition is also free, and each student is paid $400-$500 per month while they are in school. They still take loans for books, rent, and food, which are very low interest and structures to be paid back by 50 years old. Some decide later to go back to school and change professions...free tuition still applies.
How does health care work, you ask? A trip to the doctor...be it for a cold or for brain surgery, is $20. After you’ve paid $120, it’s free. There’s usually no waiting time for appointments, by law there can be no longer than a 3 month wait. If there is, more money is fed to that municipality to correct the problem.
Now...how is all of this paid for?
Up to $60k pays only municipal tax of 28%. Above 60k also pays national tax of 20% on that part over 60k. There’s sales tax too, different rates for different things, between 6 and 25%, that goes to national level.
A study was conducted recently that compares whar Sweden pays and what they get to what we pay and what we get. By the time we add up all the things that are included with Swedish taxes, we pay SO much more! So, most are quite happy with paying higher taxes but with getting so much more.
Now, what do they do with all their vacation time? After all, they start with 5 weeks off! Thailand is currently the #1 place to go.
The only guns owned by Swedes are for hunting, and they must take education classes to get a license. Guns must be stored a minimum of 3 minutes away from ammunition.
Sweden is very liberal, but they think differently about drugs. Marijuana is not legal...not even medical. It’s the sellers and growers that get fines/jail time.
Prostitution is also illegal. It’s the buyers that are arrested, which allow the women to more easily get help and find their way out of prostitution.
So...what are the societal ills here? Currently the hardest problem is integrating all the recent immigrants. Sweden has taken more per capita than even Germany! Since they must speak Swedish in order to work, (but they also receive free education), it takes while for everyone to find jobs. At this time 85% od immigrants are working, but that still leaves 15% unemployed, compared with 3% of the Swedish population.
Now I’m more sold than ever that Sweden has life pretty figured out! It’s sad to leave. So, on the bus, as we make our way to Denmark, what do we do to stay happy??? What could it be??? We sing lots of ABBA! Yes! It’s a sort of Nirvana for us!
And with that, se say Hey dor, Sweden! 🇸🇪
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