de66260346f86f680e86c405_dr849.jpg

Europe’s Northern Lights

“The Northern Lights” was the title of a major painting exhibition in Paris a few years ago, dedicated to Scandinavian masterpieces. But “northern lights” may also correspond to what Europe, if not the entire West, needs nowadays: a political, economic, social, and ethical model that looks like Scandinavia's.

PARIS – “The Northern Lights” was the title of a major painting exhibition in Paris a few years ago, dedicated to Scandinavian masterpieces. But “northern lights” may also correspond to what Europe, if not the entire West, needs nowadays: a political, economic, social, and ethical model. Indeed, in becoming the first center-right leader in Sweden to win re-election in modern times, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt not only ended the centre-left’s electoral hegemony in his country, but revealed that the modern Scandinavian model of governance is relevant across Europe.

At a time when budget cuts are the order of the day, political power in Scandinavia is modest and generally honest. Women play a major role in society and politics, and have for a long time. Scandinavian capitalism has been traditionally more humane, and social injustice, though it exists, is much less destructive than in southern Europe, for example. Moreover, immigrants are generally treated with a greater sense of respect for their dignity.

To be sure, many other Europeans recognize these “virtues.” But their natural reaction is to say, “It’s not for us.” In order to practice Scandinavian virtues, many believe, you must come from a cold-weather country with a small, homogeneous population that accepts high taxes without grumbling.

https://prosyn.org/euIVuQP