The nordic nation of Sweden has long been worshipped as the modern-day zenith of democratic socialism by leftists all around the world. High HDI, household income, economic freedom, and a spate of comfortable social programs contribute to its illusion of a real-life utopia, while driving those who vehemently oppose anything with the word “tax” attached to it far away.
The country’s universal healthcare system, nearly exclusively government-funded, had been praised highly for its inclusivity, high level of care, and relatively easy access. Its deep connection to all three levels of Swedish government (national, regional, and local) demonstrates just how concerned the country seemed to be with the wellbeing of its citizens. But cracks within the system had begun to reveal themselves - primarily through a shockingly low number of qualified personnel. The Swedish healthcare system - widely praised by left-leaning pundits and writers, gathered somewhat of an illusion of invincibility, which ultimately set the country up for disaster.
The “all-inclusive” system has many underlying shortcomings that have contributed to its subtle deterioration. A program that is so dedicated to providing the highest quality of care to all citizens is constantly forced to prioritize some patients over others. Before the pandemic even started, with a shortage of medical professionals, the country’s policies in regards to waiting periods for necessary surgeries were being pushed. In 2018, doctors were struggling to follow through on their guarantee to patients that they would never have to wait over 90 days for surgery, with some waiting periods equating to almost triple that number. Around 80% of the healthcare sector is currently in need of nurses. The number of hospital beds has been steadily declining, as well as length of patient-stay. Investing in private insurance was once optional, but as the public healthcare sector continues to diminish, it is becoming more of a necessity than ever. Swedish citizens, some of which pay almost half their income in taxes, are becoming increasingly distraught with the deteriorating institution.
And surely enough, the system began its clear and rapid downfall. Concerning the ongoing pandemic, Sweden is an excellent cautionary tale for the rest of the world – both as a model for how not to run a lockdown, and a warning for the countries that have already begun to reopen.
Back in the spring of 2020, Sweden’s government, advised by top epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, opted for the implementation of “herd immunity,” a policy in which the groups most vulnerable are to quarantine while the rest of society – particular young people – continue their daily lives as usual. The end goal was supposed to be that those with the strongest immune systems would contract COVID-19, combat it, and then hope that COVID-19 would go away, somehow. This ran in clear contrast to the strict - and effective - lockdown Denmark implemented early on, which significantly reduced the number of lives lost.
Although young people may be significantly less likely to be seriously impacted by or die from COVID-19, they are still the most effective and dangerous carriers. Exposure on beaches, in bars, and in stores – with a great deal of nonchalance – transmits the disease to older relatives – particularly parents, grandparents, and neighbors. Sweden has seen many of the same problems. If the elderly cannot go out for food, then their possibly virus-exposed or infected children or grandchildren might pass it on to them. And with a healthcare system less-than equipped to handle the vast number of people contracting the disease, the crisis in Sweden is bound to have a detrimental effect on the country’s stability.
Tegnell, Sweden’s top epidemiologist, defended the policy, claiming “strict lock-downs may temporarily contain the virus, but won’t prevent it from returning.” Tegnell further claimed that
keeping much of society open while training people to observe distancing guidelines is the only realistic way to cope with the pandemic in the long run.
But the Swedish people failed to live up to their expectations, which included the often-blatant refusal to comply with many social distancing measures. As a result, Sweden has suffered from high numbers of infections, not to mention an extremely high death rate.
Johns Hopkins University cites that Sweden has had approximately 70,000 cases and 5,500 deaths as of July 6th. The mortality rate is approximately 53.35 deaths per every 100,000 citizens, which is striking, considering their extremely low population density. In comparison, the mortality rate in the UK is 66.66 per 100,000, Belgium 85.87 per 100,000, the United States 39.82 per 100,000, and Switzerland, a country roughly comparable in HDI, average income, access to healthcare, and population, has had 23.07 deaths for every 100,000 inhabitants.
The failure of one of the most renowned welfare states to ensure the safety of Sweden’s citizens through a global pandemic speaks volumes about the flaws within the country’s structure. There is no doubt that the consequences of poor policy decisions and an increasingly unresponsive healthcare system, coupled with an outrageously high tax rate will be a central topic of the country’s next election.
In 2010, Sweden’s far-right, populist party, deemed the Sweden Democrats, entered the national parliament for the first time since its initiation. The nationalist party has grown rapidly over the past few years, gaining 24% of votes in Riksdag, making it the largest party in the area. The Sweden Democrats are rooted in nationalism and social conservatism (the belief that society is built upon fragile relationships that need to be maintained through traditional values and established institutions) and have expanded because of growing sentiment against the country’s current immigration policy. Deemed xenophobic by many scholars and politicians, the Sweden Democrats’ have made their nationalism the forefront of their campaign, but they have also capitalized on the errors of the current government. After the 2008 financial crisis, the party gained traction because of the country’s leadership not being able to account for all citizens harmed drastically by the devastating event. The failure of the welfare systems in that instance sparked a rise of populism; the parallels between that time period and the effects of COVID-19 are striking.
Sweden, like all other countries, will take a massive economic hit from the global pandemic. And if the flaws in the healthcare system weren’t potent enough already, the current crisis is exacerbating them to the fullest extent. People will be unemployed, taxes will have to go up (even from the astonishing level that they are at now), and the government’s poor management has already been exposed on a global scale. The magnitude of the current issue will make it simply impossible for the government and the current welfare state to account for everyone affected and thus it is almost inevitable that the Sweden democrats will see a rise in support. For Sweden’s current government and those who continue to idolize its procedures, COVID-19 serves as a massive wakeup call and a warning sign as to what the future of the country’s leadership will entail.
--Aidan Gouley and Jessica Gold
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