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A Utopia Like Any Other: Inside the Swedish Model
Does a utopia really exist within northern Europe?
Do we have anything to learn from it if it does?
And what makes a nation worthy of admiration, anyway?
Since the '30s, when the world was wowed by the Stockholm Exhibition, to most people Sweden has meant clean lines, good public housing, and a Social Democratic government. More recently the Swedes have been lauded for their environmental credentials, their aspirational free schools, and their hardy economy. But what's the truth of the Swedish model? Is modern Sweden really that much better than rest of Europe?
In this insightful exploration of where Sweden has been, where it's going, and what the rest of us can learn from its journey, journalist Dominic Hinde explores the truth behind the myth of a Swedish Utopia. In his quest for answers he travels the length of the country and further, enjoying July sunshine on the island of Gotland with the cream of Swedish politics for 'Almedalan Week', venturing into the Arctic Circle to visit a town about to be swallowed up by the very mine it exists to serve, and even taking a trip to Shanghai to take in the suburban Chinese interpretation of Scandinavia, 'Sweden Town', a Nordic city in miniature in the smog of China's largest city.
Do we have anything to learn from it if it does?
And what makes a nation worthy of admiration, anyway?
Since the '30s, when the world was wowed by the Stockholm Exhibition, to most people Sweden has meant clean lines, good public housing, and a Social Democratic government. More recently the Swedes have been lauded for their environmental credentials, their aspirational free schools, and their hardy economy. But what's the truth of the Swedish model? Is modern Sweden really that much better than rest of Europe?
In this insightful exploration of where Sweden has been, where it's going, and what the rest of us can learn from its journey, journalist Dominic Hinde explores the truth behind the myth of a Swedish Utopia. In his quest for answers he travels the length of the country and further, enjoying July sunshine on the island of Gotland with the cream of Swedish politics for 'Almedalan Week', venturing into the Arctic Circle to visit a town about to be swallowed up by the very mine it exists to serve, and even taking a trip to Shanghai to take in the suburban Chinese interpretation of Scandinavia, 'Sweden Town', a Nordic city in miniature in the smog of China's largest city.
- GenresNonfiction
165 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2016
2 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 20, 2020
Sweden, for a relatively small country, occupies a rather large role in global discussions. It is held up as either an example of statist groupthink or an ecological utopia. Swedes themselves would never call it a utopia but they would also unquestionably say the world would be a better place if everywhere else was more like Sweden (just with better weather).
In this highly readable book, journalist Dominic Hinde takes you on a journey around modern Sweden and tells you how it came to be the way that it is. Hinde uses the backdrop of Scotland's bid for independence to show why the Nordic model is both a good example but not one that is easily imported.
Having lived in Sweden for the past eight years I found that I recognised not just the places but the descriptions and the feelings that Hinde evokes and that sense of match gave the book credibility. I also learnt a lot of things that I'd not previously picked up - about why there's no minimum wage in Sweden but low-skilled jobs are still well paid, about why feminists see Sweden as a job only half-done, that Swedish newspapers get public funding, about how much money one iron mine makes, about a town in Shanghai designed to look like a Swedish town and why Swedish houses are warmer than British ones.
There are enough good insights in a short book that I'd say it is one of the most useful books to read if you were thinking of moving to live in Sweden but as with all books, it has its biases. It's not surprising that Hinde has no time for the right and the Sweden Democrats (no-one officially does) but he is also clearly no fan of the centre-right either. For example in a chapter called The Moderate Utopia, the political reforms introduced by the centre-right Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and his finance minister Anders Borg are presented through the analysis of a single voice from the left. No alternative view or explanation is offered.
Hinde does a good job of explaining the unique solutions that Sweden found to solving problems and also explaining why they might not work for everyone or for that much longer into the future. Sweden is a relatively small but rich consumer-based country and is subject to the winds of globalization, it is not, entirely, the master of its own destiny.
In this highly readable book, journalist Dominic Hinde takes you on a journey around modern Sweden and tells you how it came to be the way that it is. Hinde uses the backdrop of Scotland's bid for independence to show why the Nordic model is both a good example but not one that is easily imported.
Having lived in Sweden for the past eight years I found that I recognised not just the places but the descriptions and the feelings that Hinde evokes and that sense of match gave the book credibility. I also learnt a lot of things that I'd not previously picked up - about why there's no minimum wage in Sweden but low-skilled jobs are still well paid, about why feminists see Sweden as a job only half-done, that Swedish newspapers get public funding, about how much money one iron mine makes, about a town in Shanghai designed to look like a Swedish town and why Swedish houses are warmer than British ones.
There are enough good insights in a short book that I'd say it is one of the most useful books to read if you were thinking of moving to live in Sweden but as with all books, it has its biases. It's not surprising that Hinde has no time for the right and the Sweden Democrats (no-one officially does) but he is also clearly no fan of the centre-right either. For example in a chapter called The Moderate Utopia, the political reforms introduced by the centre-right Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and his finance minister Anders Borg are presented through the analysis of a single voice from the left. No alternative view or explanation is offered.
Hinde does a good job of explaining the unique solutions that Sweden found to solving problems and also explaining why they might not work for everyone or for that much longer into the future. Sweden is a relatively small but rich consumer-based country and is subject to the winds of globalization, it is not, entirely, the master of its own destiny.
November 9, 2016
Particularly in the political discourses, the use of 'models' is very common, in order to outline social and political aims and critically assess inadequacies of the current situation. The 'Swedish model' was often mentioned by European leaders as a reference, especially for its social achievements and gender equality. Hinde, a specialist in Swedish affairs and politics, offers a realistic counter-point to the common and very often unrealistic references to the 'model' associated to this country. It is a well documented and serious exercise, outlining the realities and eliminating the 'myth' or stereotypes. A recommended lecture to journalists or political science students or experts with an interest in the Nordic countries and Sweden in particular.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange of an honest review
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange of an honest review
September 14, 2016
Excellent account!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews