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Scandinavia

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    Scandinavia

    Having viewed the post-referendum posts from the seemingly wise oracles of the CUK forum, it seems to me that nobody has yet offered a credible solution to the mess our country is now in. I include the notion of the UK being out of the EU as resulting in the same situation pre-referendum: the UK is still a negative place to live for most of those in society.

    The UK consistently rates much lower than surrounding countries for happiness and contentedness; Scandinavia seems to excel in this regard. Real disposable income in the past decade is down in real terms for your average family. Scandinavia: High taxes, sliding scale, with the rich paying increasingly more on their income.

    Why aren't we moving towards that model, which has evidence of its efficacy? I dislike this "I earned that money!" mentality so prevalent in our isles - people don't seem to have the same strange hatred towards the poor in Norway and Sweden.

    The UK has its fair share of horrible towns and cities. Perhaps a more Scandinavian style approach would improve the poor quality places children are brought up in; provide better lives in the future for everyone.

    Judging by the numerous anti-Corbyn remarks (I'm not pro-Corbyn, by the way) on this board it comes across that many people don't really know what they want but do seem to have a rough idea of what they don't want. Or is that just their choice of newspaper influenced them?

    So: what do you want?! The Thatcherite Tory free-market nonsense has never worked for the benefit of the poor and disadvantaged. Poor of education, poor of life. Money isn't everything.

    England is one of the most skewed countries within the UK with a very disparate equally and income gap. From reading these boards since the referendum I have noticed that people seem to think they know best. None of the past ideas have worked particularly well for the majority of society and it is this very majority that should concern is.

    Most of us consultants/contractors are in the top 5% of earners in the UK; so, no offence to us, but: shouldn't we be copying taxation systems of Scandinavian countries? You may not get that contract you were hoping for, but you'll get something else, as you know; but someone at wit's end could really be negatively impacted by a crap economy and lowered living standards.

    Having worked in Denmark, Norway and Sweden all I can assure you company owners are still driving luxury cars, taking holidays and generally still rich; even though they're paying two to three times the cost of a BMW bought in the UK. Something in those systems is working fantastically. If anybody has been to Oslo they'll agree upon the amazing system for getting homeless people (read: damaged, often mentally ill) back into society and work.

    Why wouldn't we want that sort of country ethos for our own here?! Don't focus on the 5% of welfare claimants who are conning the system. The sizeable majority of the majority are decent people just trying to get by in life.

    Existing politics and the media manipulation of the masses (including many of us on this forum) have ****** this once reasonable country. We forgot what we really wanted and instead just wanted more 'stuff' for ourselves; after all, it's our money, we earned it. Sigh.

    Disclaimer: have lived in England and Scotland for a total of 20 years, off and on. Gradually becoming more disenchanted with the attitudes I'm encountering in England compared to Scotland. They seem more positive up there. This includes London.
    In possession of faculties. Almost.

    #2
    TL;DR

    Let us join Scandinavia. Their women are so fecking hot!

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by dundeedude View Post
      Having viewed the post-referendum posts from the seemingly wise oracles of the CUK forum, it seems to me that nobody has yet offered a credible solution to the mess our country is now in. I include the notion of the UK being out of the EU as resulting in the same situation pre-referendum: the UK is still a negative place to live for most of those in society.

      The UK consistently rates much lower than surrounding countries for happiness and contentedness; Scandinavia seems to excel in this regard. Real disposable income in the past decade is down in real terms for your average family. Scandinavia: High taxes, sliding scale, with the rich paying increasingly more on their income.

      Why aren't we moving towards that model, which has evidence of its efficacy? I dislike this "I earned that money!" mentality so prevalent in our isles - people don't seem to have the same strange hatred towards the poor in Norway and Sweden.

      The UK has its fair share of horrible towns and cities. Perhaps a more Scandinavian style approach would improve the poor quality places children are brought up in; provide better lives in the future for everyone.

      Judging by the numerous anti-Corbyn remarks (I'm not pro-Corbyn, by the way) on this board it comes across that many people don't really know what they want but do seem to have a rough idea of what they don't want. Or is that just their choice of newspaper influenced them?

      So: what do you want?! The Thatcherite Tory free-market nonsense has never worked for the benefit of the poor and disadvantaged. Poor of education, poor of life. Money isn't everything.

      England is one of the most skewed countries within the UK with a very disparate equally and income gap. From reading these boards since the referendum I have noticed that people seem to think they know best. None of the past ideas have worked particularly well for the majority of society and it is this very majority that should concern is.

      Most of us consultants/contractors are in the top 5% of earners in the UK; so, no offence to us, but: shouldn't we be copying taxation systems of Scandinavian countries? You may not get that contract you were hoping for, but you'll get something else, as you know; but someone at wit's end could really be negatively impacted by a crap economy and lowered living standards.

      Having worked in Denmark, Norway and Sweden all I can assure you company owners are still driving luxury cars, taking holidays and generally still rich; even though they're paying two to three times the cost of a BMW bought in the UK. Something in those systems is working fantastically. If anybody has been to Oslo they'll agree upon the amazing system for getting homeless people (read: damaged, often mentally ill) back into society and work.

      Why wouldn't we want that sort of country ethos for our own here?! Don't focus on the 5% of welfare claimants who are conning the system. The sizeable majority of the majority are decent people just trying to get by in life.

      Existing politics and the media manipulation of the masses (including many of us on this forum) have ****** this once reasonable country. We forgot what we really wanted and instead just wanted more 'stuff' for ourselves; after all, it's our money, we earned it. Sigh.

      Disclaimer: have lived in England and Scotland for a total of 20 years, off and on. Gradually becoming more disenchanted with the attitudes I'm encountering in England compared to Scotland. They seem more positive up there. This includes London.
      If you like Scandinavia so much I suggest you stay there and make sure that if you see someone out of your curtain that seems to have more money than you do remember to call the taxman
      Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

      Comment


        #4
        Good question.

        It's why I've accepted the role in CPH though, one foot out of this rat run and hopefully settle there or around there.

        Seem to me the Nordic countries stay out of playing army with peoples tax money (largely) and tend to not try and scrape yet another percentage from everyone to fund it.

        Taxes are high but you see it coming back.

        Comment


          #5
          The Scandinavian Socialism Argument Debunked - The great liberal myth

          Didn't take much of a Google search to nail Scandinavia

          Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by DodgyAgent View Post
            The Scandinavian Socialism Argument Debunked - The great liberal myth

            Didn't take much of a Google search to nail Scandinavia

            Tell us about your experiences of living there then.

            And that link is utter shiite, is that the best you could do?
            Last edited by stek; 27 July 2016, 16:43.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by stek View Post
              Good question.

              It's why I've accepted the role in CPH though, one foot out of this rat run and hopefully settle there or around there.

              Seem to me the Nordic countries stay out of playing army with peoples tax money (largely) and tend to not try and scrape yet another percentage from everyone to fund it.

              Taxes are high but you see it coming back.
              Out of the closet come the usual UK loathing liberals
              Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by stek View Post
                Tell us about your experiences of living there then.
                Why would I want to try and live there?
                Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by DodgyAgent View Post
                  Why would I want to try and live there?
                  So in other words, you are talking out of your considerable arse.....

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by stek View Post
                    Good question.

                    It's why I've accepted the role in CPH though, one foot out of this rat run and hopefully settle there or around there.

                    Seem to me the Nordic countries stay out of playing army with peoples tax money (largely) and tend to not try and scrape yet another percentage from everyone to fund it.

                    Taxes are high but you see it coming back.
                    Agree entirely. The money really is re-entered into the society.

                    Denmark is more subdued and family oriented; Copenhagen is very nice and calmer than Stockholm or Oslo. Helsinki isn't really any great contender to the other three - similarly expensive but lacking something. Plenty of sea around, if that's your thing.

                    I would recommend anybody to take a contract somewhere in Scandinavia and interact with the locals... You'll start to realise that people behave a lot nicer when they are (overall) happier. You can accurately judge a society from the way in which the poorer half of society are spoken about.
                    In possession of faculties. Almost.

                    Comment

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