Team Leader, Moriguchi RCProfessor of Dept. Public Health Kansai Medical University
The following key expressions describe the understanding I gained of Sweden during my 5-6 weeks there:
(1.2 times greater land area than Japan)
(8,700,000; about the same as Osaka Prefecture)
(basically a winter life style)
(hydroelectric power, forestry, fishing, mining)
Please try to imagine a land which is 235 times larger than Osaka Prefecture and is located in more northern latitudes than Hokkaido. A land with a climate which is much colder than that of Hokkaido and whose short summer is encompassed by an almost endless winter. Imagine a land blessed with abundant natural resources such as lakes and rivers for hydroelectric power and vast forests which are more than 5 times larger than Hokkaido. And then imagine that this vast land is populated with the same number of people as live in Osaka Prefecture. The only land like this is in southern Sweden where we visited R. I. D-2400. Think for a moment what kind of society would come to exist in such a place; a vast, cold land dotted with small communities of several hundred to several tens of thousands of people.
Industries which make the most of the regions special characteristics would be promoted. These would not be population intensive industries, but would be those which could be done using a small number of people and heavy machinery forestry, paper manufacturing and automobile manufacturing (Volvo, Saab). Because it is such a vast country, information and telecommunications would be absolutely essential to daily life (the cellular phone company Erikson and the computer industry and information sciences are promoted by the government).
Ever since the Middle Ages, Sweden and Denmark have fought over territorial rights, with these wars being instigated by both sides. Because of this political instability, regional collective communities developed and became the center of the peoples lives, regardless of who had political jurisdiction over the nation. These collective communities existed long before todays political system came into being. Since they live far apart from everyone else, the people had a mindset of helping one another which naturally led to the development of a collective system. Because the nation is made up of such collective communities, it is only natural that the government, instead of concentrating the power centrally, would give these regions more rights to self-govern themselves. Due to the fact that it is a large nation, the government would have a very inefficient chain of command if there were no computerized communications and the government were not on-line. In Sweden, a library in a small village of several hundred people has direct access not only to the local government but to the central government as well, and the government is in the process of giving every citizen a tax payer number and citizens identification number. The small population makes endeavors of this scale possible, and it enables the government to get an accurate grasp of what kind of information needed by those who are in need of welfare services.
Also, in the 1700 and 1800's, many people emigrated to the United States to escape the economic hardships in Sweden, and as a result, the government began to take the registration of families seriously. Because of this long history of registration, the Swedish people have no qualms about being registered by the government. Also, Swedish people have had little resistance to receiving immigrants from other countries because many of their forefathers were allowed to emigrate to other countries in the past. This population registration system made it possible for the government to not only foresee the upcoming aging of society and the corresponding decrease in young people, but to then establish government policies and programs to ensure that the elderly would be taken care of and that there would always be enough laborers. In 1960, Sweden had more than enough economic strength and the resources to implement the following policies:
1) In order to raise birth rate, the government established effective measures which were very generous toward women and children. A nations strength is in its population.
2) The government made a concerted effort to create workplaces which were favorable to women of child-bearing age and to support social advancement, and it expanded the social security system for its working population. Also, it also made it easy for people to immigrate in order to increase Swedens labor strength. It made a social agreement to respect human rights, to create a working place and society which gave men and women equal status and to protect its foreign residents. Sweden has achieved normalization in regard to its disabled population by making it easier for them to overcome their limitations, whatever they may be, and to become productive individuals. Another important consideration is the fact that Christianity has had a fundamental influence on peoples thinking in regard to the importance of having kind, loving and trusting relationships with one another.
3) In order to be sure that nothing hinders women from remaining in the work force or hinders social advancement, the government has made the establishment of facilities and human services for nursery and day-care for working mothers and for nursing care and welfare for the elderly, etc. as a national priority. In order to do this, the citizens of Sweden, after some debate and discussion, chose to bear the high cost in exchange for abundant welfare benefits. On the whole, the people had little difficulty agreeing with the governments tax system and policies. Also, the secret of Swedens success in raising the necessary funds to support its welfare programs was its financial base and the economic strength of its citizens' overall productivity.
4) In order to preserve the abundant natural beauty and resources which are a part of everyday life, the Swedish government has been extremely diligent in dealing with environmental problems. Top priority is given to living in harmony with nature, and people are very sensitive to the problems of energy use and the recycling waste and resources. Swedish people greatly appreciate the warmth of sunlight and the breath fresh, spring air after the long, cold winter, and, in order to maintain this pristine image, importance is placed on the life of every living creature.
5) Because Sweden was an eyewitness to the war between Germany and neighboring Denmark, the Swedish government has been devoted to worldwide peace. When its neighbors were under the threat of Soviet oppression, Sweden took a neutral position as it promoted the diplomacy of peace. In addition, Swedens diplomatic policy has been one of offering financial, social economic and technical aid and assistance on an international scale.
6) Sweden has made it a national priority to preserve its work force and improve productivity, and it has established programs to provide its working population with vocational education and to provide life skills training and reeducation for young adults and the elderly.
All of these aforementioned national policies have helped to make Sweden famous worldwide as a welfare state. But, all of these policies have begun to take a financial toll on the government as the costs of social security and other welfare programs increase year by year.
In recent years, the government has not had the economic strength and financial
resources to adequately support these programs. It is now studying the
situation and leaving the choice up to the people of Sweden. One of the
main ways the government has paid for these social welfare programs is
its general sales tax which now stands at 25%. There are now 1,550,000
people living on social security, 350,000 unemployed, 260,000 partially
unemployed, 360,000 about to go on social security, 230,000 invalids, and
1,600,000 infants and children in Sweden, and approximately 50% of Swedens
productivity now goes to taking care of these people. Next to Ireland,
this ratio is the second highest in the world. Ten years ago, the figure
for Japan was 34.5%.