Battleangel

Indeed, despite the best efforts to make Sweden look bad and pointing to the few areas that aren’t top class (but still very good) Sweden does seem like a model country. One that combines the best of both worlds. Obviously, it goes without saying that a higher economic growth could be attained by diminishing the social security system and vice versa. But moderation is in fact the real secret recipe.

Guardian - Joakim Palme, the author of a paper on the Nordic model for the EU jobs summit at Hampton Court last October, believes Europe’s mighty but struggling economies are wise to look north. “I do not say the Nordic model should be copied. But if you are serious about combating poverty and inequality and want to combine that with growth and employment, it is difficult to discard the way the Scandinavians have organised the system of social protection.”