a lot of the concessions made in the nordic states were driven by proximity to the Soviet Union, which is corroborated by the way those countries have been dismantling social democracy since it was destroyed
They also let other countries spend money on and do imperialism for them. You forgot that part.
The thing is, Sweden WAS gung-ho about imperialism. They had a legit empire, one which bested Russia several times, and which under Gustavus Adolphus became a great power turning the tide of the 30 years war. Mother fuckers annexed other nations, and pioneered modern warfare. They are only not one you think of for the same reason Belgium is less thought of, they couldn't throw around any power on the continent.
Sweden actually controlled what became New York for a short time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Empire#/media/File:Swedish_Empire.svg
I don't think there is much of a difference or big fish vs small fish, so much as just better branding.
Denmark had several parts of India, The Gold Coast for centuries, and until 1917 when the US bought them the islands of St. Thomas, Croix, and John
Sweden had several entire European countries but also, the Gold Coast for a time, St. Barthelemy, a sliver of India, and economic zones in Canton.
Norway has made claims before, but never really held much of anything outside of Europe. But Sweden and Norway as a singular entity held part of the Virgin Islands and a state in Myanmar and China.
Like I thought the benefit of Imperialism was giving people treats
What? No, of course not. The point is to enrich the rich, people can get bent.
Scandinavians think the Nordic Model produces the best humanly possible society because:
- They are "ethnically homogenous" (ie. white)
- Nordic people are much smarter and much more hardworking than the lazy savages south of the Alps
- Nordic people are much friendlier and more moderate than people in big fancy important countries are.
Any talk of proximity to the USSR is dismissed outright. The USSR was Stalinist totalitarian bla bla bla so it doesn't count. Likewise any talk of imperialism is rejected completely as a poor excuse for those shithole countries not pulling themselves up by the bootstraps. How can we be imperialist when we don't have colonies and when we send so much aid?
No. All the good we have is completely of our own making. We are the smartest, nicest, happiest people on the surface of the earth.
Source: Am Scandinavian. I have to live with this shit every day.
How can we be imperialist when we don’t have colonies and when we send so much aid?
Aid will totally fix systemic issues created by saltine
This has me absolutely cracking up. burst out laughing in the middle of the living room.
"Nooo it's ok to teach US Americans that the white majority nordic countries are the true face of socialism and not the authoritarian ones like Cuba, China, Vietnam, NK, etc. Them being majority non white also doesn't factor in. Social democracy is the real socialism." :so-true:
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