A Frigid Spring for Social Democracy: Build Bridges AND Walls

The Return to Government for the Typically-Dominant Social Democrats in Nordic Nations Paint a Picture of How the Political Picture Has-And Could Continually - Evolve

Danish Ghettos: Terra Nova for the Populist Turn of the Nordic Left

PSA: THE AUTHOR WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THIS ARTICLE WAS DRAFTED TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ECONOMIST ESSENTIALLY PUBLISHED THE SAME THING IN THE LAST WEEK'S PAPER #SMH

Is this a casting call for a Netflix Noir or a Roll Call of Prime Ministers in Europe’s North? One could be forgiven for fangirl-ing over the return to power of many Social Democrats via young and enthusiastic female leaders such as Prime Ministers Sanna Marin in Finland and Magdalena Andersson in Sweden. Even more traditional foils such as Jonas Gahr Store in Norway display leadership in a way fitting for a region often considered the most progressive in the world. Indeed, after the mid 2010's dry spell of progressive leadership (largely due to Great Recession era elections), the Social Democrats have recaptured all of their old territory.

For the sake of this article, the nations being mentioned include the Scandinavian Nations of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, along with Nordic Countries of Iceland and Finland. Yet beneath this youthfully progressive luster is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow: To survive these times, the Social Democratic Parties of Nordic Nations have evolved, and not exactly in the ways that its jealous American counterparts would like.

For starters, the conservative backlash to waves of Middle Eastern immigrants have failed to subside in Europe’s North. Most governing parties, such as those in Denmark and Norway, campaigned either directly or subtly on premises of

Danish PM Mette Frederiksen: One of the first to win on rebranded social policy

stricter curbs to asylum seekers, pledges which very well may have proved the difference in electoral outcomes. Indeed, the most generous of all Scandinavian countries to immigrants, Sweden, still itself struggles from the lingering power the far right Sweden Democrats have capitalized over it. Furthermore, it's skyrocketing crime levels and social disorder have proved case-in-point for any Immigrant Skeptic in the North.

Yet so too does this surviving Swedish party prove exemplary, this time in its political re-posturing. At one time in the mid ‘10s, Sweden was the only left-of-center government in the region at all! These Swedish Social Dems adapted to the political push-back against immigrants by embracing strict caps and assimilation requirements for its citizens (something the Danes in particular have been notorious for in recent years). These rules are increasingly common in the region, going so far as national indoctrination and the breakup of so-called immigrant ghettos in order to force immersion into the strict, and rigidly secular, norm of Nordic Culture.

So what does it all mean, Basil? As has been abundantly clear for the past few years, the social liberals have clearly lost the debate on immigration within Europe. After all, this author stresses to the readers in America’s melting pot: Despite (or perhaps because of) massive government intervention in Northern Europe, the social fabric of these nations have always been rigidly secular and narrow. Most within the region do not view many of the largely Syrian immigrants seeking refuge in these countries as inherently conducive to their identity-at least not without significant change in behavior, outcome, and religious practices. Therefore, numbers are culled significantly and those who do break through are split up and forcibly assimilated in what could arguably be considered an assault on Islamic Culture. Ironically, an expansive social welfare state creates a desire for maintaining purity of those in it. That is to not ignore the remarkable quality of life, economic efficiency, and overall outcomes of those who do successfully assimilate into Nordic Society. There is a reason these countries are often listed at the top of (admittedly flawed) Quality-of-Life Indices.

This author posits that immigration will likely not be the last argument to which social liberals will find themselves in political wilderness. Indeed, this author is paying special attention to the new leftist government of Norway’s claims to reforming and diverting investment from its massive Natural Gas Sector. The state has largely been reliant on this mildly dirty fuel despite boasting an ecological lifestyle that is startling anathema to this main export. The Labour Party’s willingness to reform the country’s economy and even moreso the response from the general populace should be telling indeed. Be prepared: Climate change could be the next social issue crucified by the Nordic Left.

Norway and Natural Gas....There's A Lot There