On August 10, 1628, the new flagship of the Swedish navy, the Vasa, set out on her maiden voyage. It only sailed for about 1,300 metres since the vessel was badly designed and could not handle the moderate gusts of wind that filled its sails. It capsized in Tegelviken bay, just off Stockholm, in front of thousands of onlookers and rested on the seabed for over 300 years until it was lifted in 1961. Today, the Vasa Museum which houses the extremely well preserved wreckage is Sweden’s major tourist attraction with over a million visitors a year. It is also on Trip-advisor’s list of top museums on the planet.
During my recent trip to Sweden, I also succumbed to the temptation of wanting to see what all the fuss was about. Basically, the jewel in the crown of what Stockholm has to offer to tourists is not its splendid monuments, great cultural heritage or fantastic scenery but a ship that sank less than an hour after having set sail. What makes a nation great is the ability of its people to make the most out of any situation, including one that led to total disaster and failure.
Another fascinating attraction I visited on my trip was a former copper mine in Falun, some 223 kilometres north of Stockholm. One of the major landmarks of the site is the great pit – a gaping hole that opened up in 1687 when a large proportion of the mine caved in. Mining activity in Falun stopped in 1992 yet the site is now a major tourist attraction and on the Unesco World Heritage List.
When we speak about the ‘Nordic model’, we normally refer to the economic and social policies of the Scandinavian countries synonymous with, for example, free education and universal healthcare. Scandinavians seem to enjoy among the highest standard of living not only in Europe but also globally. When dining at a restaurant don’t expect a bottle of wine to be cheaper than €50.
However, what fascinated me about Sweden this time was the realisation that although the geographical area of the country is substantial – in fact it’s the third largest in the European Union, the population density is low and the total population is around 10 million – even less than Belgium or Portugal. Yet, it is one of the most successful countries in Europe. A special report published in 2013 in The Economist places Sweden at the top of the class in terms of ranking in the World Values Survey. Referring to the Nordic countries, the author asks: “Why has this remote, thinly populated region, with its freezing winters and expanses of wilderness, proved so successful?”
Finding the right equilibrium is what we could learn better from our Nordic partners
Three factors are mentioned: the first is the honesty and transparency of their governments. Interestingly, Sweden is currently facing a bit of a political crisis resulting from a leak of the data of almost all of the country’s citizens when information from the country’s driving licence database was made available to IT contractors in other countries as part of an outsourcing deal. Among the concerns raised were that information about vehicles used by the armed forces and the police may have ended up in the wrong hands and that the identities of some security and military personnel could also have been placed at risk. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who heads a minority Social Democrat administration, sought to address criticism by replacing two senior ministers though pressure is mounting with the opposition calling for a non-confidence vote. The Nordic countries pride themselves on the fact that their governments are subject to rigorous scrutiny as the current crisis is proving yet again.
Two other qualities mentioned by the author of the special report are pragmatism and tough-mindedness. It refers to how when faced with a situation where the old ‘social democratic consensus’ was no longer working well, the Nordics gave it up without fuss, adapting new ideas from across the political spectrum. In doing so, they are constantly reforming and upgrading the ‘Nordic model’ without, however, losing their ability to invest in human capital and offer the highest standards of social protection in Europe.
Scandinavians are also known for their liberalism. Freedom of the press in Sweden dates back to 1766. I heard it stated during several tours I went on that Sweden was the first country to embrace parliamentary rule over the absolute rule of the monarch. Protestantism has also contributed particularly by teaching peasants to read since Lutheranism propagated the ideal that all the faithful should be able to read the Bible. Swedes also give a lot of importance to individual autonomy notwithstanding their belief in ‘big government’.
According to Lars Tragardh, of Ersta Skondal University College, Stockholm, “the Nordics have no trouble reconciling the two: they regard the state’s main job as promoting individual autonomy and social mobility”.
On a personal note, spending a week in Sweden’s Dalarna County with a good friend of ours who has strong connections with Malta, I was also struck by the strong sense of community that seems to survive. Belief in individual autonomy brings with it serious responsibilities towards others and towards the community that is reflected not only in genuine concern for the plight of others but also in taking a stand where, for instance, protection of the natural environment is concerned.
Naturally, it is not a country immune to problems or tensions. In 2015, Sweden received more than 160,000 refugees fleeing wars in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. This represented the largest number of migrants seeking asylum per capita in the EU.
This did lead to an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment. Even US President Donald Trump has jumped into the fray by linking Sweden’s acceptance of refugees to an increase in the crime rate there although overall the country’s average crime rate has fallen in recent years.
Being partners in the European Union will hopefully continue to afford us the possibility to learn from our Swedish friends. In the area of civil liberties, for instance, we have managed to successfully import notions linked to the centrality of individual autonomy. I hope that we also manage to find the right balance between autonomy and responsibility towards the community. Possibly, finding the right equilibrium is what we could learn better from our Nordic partners.