The state is best at using money
October 28, 2006This is probably one of the saddest articles I’ve read in a long time. If you for whatever reason want to understand the real mentality behind the so-called Nordic Model read on:
Translation from Danish below:
The state is best at using money
Welfare - Denmark should continue the high tax levels, because the money is best in the states pockets. This is the opinion of 3 students from Christianshavn’s High School, however at the same time they think it would be good for unemployed academics to take jobs delivering papers and thereby receive fresh air. They also think that Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller (The owner of Mærsk) deserves his old age discount on the busses.
Emilie Vraagard (16 years old): We all participated in the welfare demonstrations - both the 17. of may and those last month.
Pia Møller Schilder (17 years old): It was really cool to feel the togetherness between schools and kindergarten teachers.
Christoffer Stenbakken (18 years old): But there probably wasn’t much political in it. It is a tradition here at Christianshavns High School to occupy the school once a year. This year we did it in sympathy with the kindergarten teachers, last year it was something different. So it is more tradition than real political engagement.
Emilie: Thats not correct. We are very political in our school.
Christoffer: But I do think it is a bit airy that people go demonstrate in front of parliament when they don’t know anything about it. Maybe 5% have read the service reform and know something about it. And then they are there with their Socialist Peoples Party baloons in their hands and don’t know what the whole thing is about.
Emilie: You know that it is possible to have an opinion without knowing all the details.
The state prioritizes for us
Christoffer: I think the government has the wrong focus. Because Denmarks competitive edge comes from the welfare society, where there is a large focus on human resources.
Emilie: The student grans are for example a necessity to give young people time for their education.
Pia: It all about where the money is best placed - in the pockets of the citizens or in the states pockets? I think it is best that the state has the money. The state prioritizes for us - and that is good.
You have to be flexible
Christoffer: Maybe some young people don’t need the grant, but it’s a principle that everyone receives and everyone pays. Unemployed people should for example take an unskilled job, if they can’t get a job within their own field. Take a paper route for example. You have to be flexible.
Pia: Maybe they could retrain.
Christoffer: Yes, that could be, but it is definitely immoral to just stay at home on the couch.
Pia: Yes, then you stop taking part in the society.
Emilie: It is also demotivating to just sit at home on your ass. It probably wouldn’t be bad for those unemployed academics to get out, get some fresh air, bike a bit and deliver some news papers.
We pay for love
Pia: Everyone should have welfare services. It is absolutely ok that rich pensioners receive for example bus passes and eye glasses - after all these are people who can’t walk or see. Everyone should get discounts. Even Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller.
Christoffer: Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller has also given much to society. He has paid a fortune in taxes. So of course he also has the right to welfare services.
Pia: In Denmark we can’t rely on family like they do for example in southern Europe. To clean for the old is the duty of society not of their relatives.
Emilie: No, I don’t agree. It is also the responsibility of the family. Our sense of family is getting a bit lost.
Pia: Through our taxes we actually do pay other people to give our parents love and care when they get old. And it works really well.
Sidebar: Most Danes would pay for more welfare
- 45% of Danes are willing to pay more tax to secure a high public service level for childcare, public schools and eldercare.
- 39% won’t pay more tax, even if it would give a higher service level.
Comments:
The odd thing about those statistics is that it seems that the 45% believe that they will give more money to the government, which in turn will provide more services. Why not keep the money?
On the other hand, I wonder if it mirrors current Democratic strategy. We hear a barrage of "assault on the middle class" rhetoric. Methinks, are the Dems shifting the debate on welfare from the 1960's serving the poor to the 2000's serving everyone but the rich? (The Republicans are not so far off on this issue.)
Posted by: Will Kamishlian at October 28, 2006 12:45 PM
Since about 90% of the US population earns less than $100,000, then it's a pretty good call to help everyone but th rich!
Posted by: Bonbayel at October 30, 2006 08:26 PM
Since about 90% of the US population earns less than $100,000, then it's a pretty good call to help everyone but th rich!
Posted by: Bonbayel at October 30, 2006 08:26 PM
Since about 90% of the US population earns less than $100,000, then it's a pretty good call to help everyone but the rich!
Posted by: Bonbayel at October 30, 2006 08:27 PM
Even though I'm pro state, I'm not particular happy just letting the state grow uncontrollable. I'm pro state but not that the state should service all people in the same way.
I disagree with the youngsters, about anyone should have absolutely equal rights to grand rich olderly to get the same benefits as poor olderly. The same with the childcheque (børnepenge) which every danish parents receive each quarter until the child reach the age of 18. In Denmark the state don't differentiate who should get paid, so even rich parents receives this cheque.
Wellfare is not meant for all of us. Only the one who can't take care for them selves. In that perspective, I actually agree with you Pelle, and these youngsters are quite honest frightening with their view on the state.
I thing the Danish system in particular with the mindset of Wellfare for all, should shift it's perspective to "wellfare for the ones who really need it". I still think that it is the states roll, to take care of the one who's in a need. But it is not the states roll to pay for a lot of people who arent really in need.
The question is who sets the standards for who's needing?
It's a balance! but in Denmark, it has shifted to a more unhealthy balanced economically speaking.
These youngster
Posted by: Thomas Robert Madsen at October 31, 2006 06:02 PM
