In 2020, the Sweden Democrats vetoed the rule of law conditionality for accessing EU funds and thereby cosied up to Poland and Hungary. DeSantis won't say he's running. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. LOL yes, we're the ones trying to "export out policies." I think a lot of the reason Sweden being targetted by its neighbours can be attributed to simple facts: Sweden being the immediate Nordic neighbour of Denmark/Norway/Finland, Sweden being the largest country in the Nordics. She worked for the tourist board. Presumably the correlative of this is that Denmark has the best public services? Effectively a one-party state albeit supported by a couple of shadowy industrialist families for much of the 20th century, "neutral" Sweden (one of the world largest arms exporters) continues to thrive economically thanks to its distinctive brand of totalitarian modernism, which curbs freedoms, suppresses dissent in the name of consensus, and seems hell-bent on severing the bonds between wife and husband, children and parents, and elderly on their children. It may be due to regional and cultural attitude tendencies that dont necessarily have negative roots. Last Wednesday in Stockholm, the prime ministers of Sweden and Finland, countries where neutrality and military non-alliance are deeply woven into their cultures, shocked the world by issuing a. In a joint letter to member nations last week, Finland and Sweden brought up Article 42.7 of the European Union's founding Lisbon Treaty which obligates other members to "aid and assist by . Other widely accepted stereotypes of Swedes depict them as: Sweden has a fascinating culture. The same is true of Danish and Swedish people. In 2021, Sweden's government announced an increase in funding for Kurdish groups in Syria to $376 million by 2023, saying it remained an "active partner" to Syria's Kurds and that its funds were aimed at "strengthening resilience, human security and freedom from violence" and improving "human rights, gender equality and democratic development.". These societies function well for those who conform to the collective median, but they aren't much fun for tall poppies. Underlying the tension between Turkey and Sweden is how each country defines "terrorist," says Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Sweden too is ramping up its military budget and expects to reach the target by 2028. I pointed out that Sweden was one of the most bloodthirsty nations on earth for much of the last millennium. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Norway the nice side, at least. And if you think a move across the North Sea would help you escape the paedophiles, racists, crooks and tax-dodging corporations one reads about in the British media on a daily basis, I'm afraid I must disabuse you of that too. A Norwegian who is passionate about winter sports, may have a national pride when it comes to comparisons about speed skating or cross-country skiing. It found that young women consistently reported feeling depressed more than young men did. The relationship between Denmark and Sweden and their respective constituents is complex, difficult to define, and at times, marked by seemingly childish and petty behavior. For Hakki Akil, a former Turkish ambassador, the Turkish perspective is "very simple. Erdogan is demanding that Sweden extradite a list of people that Turkey has charged with terrorism. And Norway isn't the only Scandinavian neighbor barring Swedes, with some exceptions, from visiting this summer. Do People Still Practice the Norse Religion Today? "We are seeing that this epidemic of mental illness and loneliness is reaching the shores of the Nordic countries.". Yes there has always been a strong anti-Swedish bias in Finnish nationalism since Swedish influences have been very strong in our society and for that reason the early Finnish nationalist saw Sweden as their main opponent. Sweden, however, remained the regional outlier for more than a century. They will do anything to avoid sharing a lift with a stranger, as I found out during a day-long experiment behaving as un-Swedishly as possible in Stockholm. See Is Denmark and the Netherlands the Same Country? In 1808 Tzar Alexander I of Russia was forced by Napoleon to attack Sweden, ruled by Gustav IV Adolf, as part of Napoleon's plan to take over Europe. As of 2022, NATO has expanded to let in three former Soviet states and all of the former Warsaw Pact countries. The Almost Nearly Perfect People The Truth About the Nordic Miracle (Jonathan Cape), by Michael Booth, is published on 6 February. As a result, productivity is worryingly sluggish. Further attention will only encourage them. A report authored by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen aims to provide a more nuanced picture of life in the Nordic nations - suggesting their reputations as utopias for happiness are masking significant problems for some parts of the population, especially young people. Is Denmark and the Netherlands the Same Country? The decision represents a setback for Moscow, with the. 3. People in some countries offer kisses on the cheek. One economy may be stronger than the other. Is this true? to learn more. In the old nationalistic writings Sweden has always been portrayed as cartoonishly evil entity. This sparked huge tensions with Turkey, which then launched attacks on the Kurds in Syria. Centuries ago, there most certainly was hatred between the nations of Denmark and Sweden, as evidenced by the dozens of wars fought between them. So, yes, I do think culture matters a great deal to understanding why countries like Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden score high on this particular indicator of happiness. See Do Swedes Actually Like Surstromming? The Swedes are, he says, "highly adept at insulating themselves from each other". Travel to and from Helsinki and the. like they did after World War 2, Ukraine will hate Russia eternally with no way of ever fixing . But public opinion in Finland and Sweden suggests that he has driven them into NATO's arms. It would be known as the Finnish War (which is where it was mainly fought) and would include Great Britain on Sweden's side and Denmark and France on Russia's. The Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has said they would be welcomed with open arms if they do apply and that the accession process would be quick, although formal ratification by all the alliances members could take several months. The Treaty of Copenhagen, signed in 1660, signaled Swedens re-entry into a union with Norway and Denmark. The PKK, which seeks greater . And while previous governments have controlled the spending of oil revenues, the new bunch are threatening a splurge which many warn could lead to full-blown Dutch disease. But joining NATO requires consensus approval from all existing members, and Turkey one of the group's most strategically important and militarily powerful members is not happy. Today in Finland, two Christians will stand trial for publicly stating the theological and scientific truth that men and women are different. When Finland and Sweden announced their interest in joining NATO, the two Nordic states were expected to be swiftly accepted as members of the defense alliance. Another way to look at it is sibling rivalry and family feuds. Luckily, judging by a recent journey I took with my eldest son the length of the country by train, the place appears to be 99% trees. Press J to jump to the feed. Whether it is Denmark's happiness, its restaurants, or TV dramas; Sweden's gender equality, crime novels and retail giants; Finland's schools; Norway's oil wealth and weird songs about foxes;. Several Kurds even have seats in Sweden's Parliament. I understand why Norway and Denmark hates us but Finland? In these ways, it may be possible to compare the competition among the countries to sibling rivalries. Lmao nobody hates each other, its just memes and a circlejerk. If, as a headline in this paper once claimed, it is "the most successful society the world has ever seen", why aren't more of you dreaming of "a little place" in Ume? From the military perspective, the addition of Finlands and Swedens armed forces would represent a major boost to Natos assets in northern Europe, filling a hole in the alliances defences by doubling the length of its border with Russia and improving security and stability in the Baltic region. The Swedes tried to give Norway a sense of independence. People in other countries prefer to shake hands. While most of the Kurds living in Sweden which local groups say number as many as 100,000 have no affiliation with the PKK, the Swedish government has supported members of other Kurdish organizations, particularly the political wing of the PKK's Syrian branch, called the PYD. The internet changed the world, allowing people everywhere to access information, share their views and debate contentious topics. With the formation of the Kalmar Union in 1397, these three Scandinavian nations, along with their respective territories, were ruled by a common monarch, Queen Margrethe I of Denmark. Various Kurdish groups have pushed for Kurdish autonomy and statehood over the decades, some peacefully and some, like the PKK, through violence. If you want a serious answer to the question. Thunberg and other climate campaigners are joining a demonstration led by the Saami community, an Indigenous group whose traditional lands stretch across Norway, Sweden, Finland, and western . Sweden's foreign ministry declined to comment on Erdogan's accusations when contacted by CNBC. Collectively, Norwegians dont hate Swedes and Danes. Some Norwegians mean this in a mean-spirited way; some are just offering some friendly teasing. Centuries ago, Danes and Swedes fought for regional supremacy. The idea is that because Sweden's horrific death rates followed its refusal to lock down its society as strictly as other countries, the latter must have been the cause of the former. Finland, for its part, has made clear that it will join NATO when Sweden does, and no sooner. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. You absolutely hate him. "Turkey is not happy about the fact that they suddenly become good guys just because they came in handy against ISIS.". The Danes are aggressively jingoistic, waving their red-and-white dannebrog at the slightest provocation. Finland's concerns have been largely practical: it shares an 810-mile (1,300km) border with Russia, declared independence in 1917 after more than a century of rule by Moscow, and its army twice. According to a report in Politiken this month, the proportion of people below the poverty line has doubled over the last decade. So let's remove those rose-tinted ski goggles and take a closer look at the objects of our infatuation . With Swedish elections coming up in September, it's unlikely that the government will make any major concessions to Erdogan that would be unpopular at home, according to some analysts. Sweden says the PKK and PYD are different but Turkey says they are one and the same. The aftermath of Swedens decision, and the regional instability it created, eventually resulted in a civil war between Norway and Denmark. Norwegians love their country and many of its citizens believe it is better than other nations, though in a non-hateful way. Thank you for posting on NordicHistoryMemes. So what are other stereotypes people have about Scandinavians? The NATO average was estimated at 1.6% last year. Ankara says that the SDC is dominated by PKK terrorists. An indigenous minority of around 100,000 people spread over the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, the Sami have traditionally lived off reindeer herding and fishing. The United States is ratcheting up national security concerns about TikTok, mandating that all federal employees delete the Chinese-owned social media app from government-issued mobile phones. Both Norway and Sweden are "long" countries. The Kurdish people are often described as the world's largest ethnic group without a homeland an estimated 30 million people. Enough of the unblinking idolatry of all things knitted, bearded, rye bread-based and licorice-laced. Analysis: the two countries are considering applying to join after Russias invasion of Ukraine. Please see the About page for details. As it turns out, this one comprises both truth and fiction. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fact that the war now focuses on parts of that country that are adjacent to Turkey and of profound strategic and even historic interest to Ankara has reminded many Turks of the value of membership in NATO.". They're not big on chat. Some Swedes are deeply offended at the joke; some laugh and agree. They are very pleased to be told they did not." As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Finland has also banned the PKK as a terrorist organization, but joined Sweden and other EU countries in halting weapons sales to Turkey in 2019 over Ankara's military action against Kurdish groups in Syria. Sweden denies this, saying it supports other Kurds who are not in the PKK but the details are more complicated. Pull up an Egg. If you can cope with this, and the cost, and the cold (both metaphorical and inter-personal), then by all means join me in my adopted hyggelige home. 2023 CNBC LLC. The report notes that in Finland, which ranked as the happiest world country in 2018, suicide was responsible for a third of all deaths among the age bracket. Nonaligned up until now, Finland and Sweden last weekend announced plans to abandon that position and join NATO in the wake of Russia's bloody invasion of Ukraine. "At some point in the evening around 11.30pm, people start behaving aggressively, throwing punches, wrestling," Heikki Aittokoski, foreign editor of Helsingin Sanomat, told me. Neighboring countries sometimes seek the same land and water use. Its health service is buckling too. The nation once dubbed "the west's reigning educational superpower" (the Atlantic) has slipped in the latest Pisa rankings. Dont worry man, nobody hates Sweden, its just sibling rivalry. Photo by Eline Van Breda. Why Swedish workplaces aren't as equal as you think, Human error to blame for deadly train crash, says Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Nearly 20% of Turkey's 84 million-strong population is Kurdish, with some Kurds holding important positions in Turkish politics and society, though many say they are discriminated against and their political parties face crackdowns from the Turkish state. I hear you say. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Both countries switched from formal neutrality to military non-alignment in 1995 when they joined the EU. As Norwegian anthropologist Thomas Hylland Eriksen put it to me when I visited his office in Oslo University: "We've always been used to thinking of ourselves as part of the solution, and with the oil we suddenly became part of the problem. The view was a bit samey. NATO expansion is something it has previously cited to justify invading Ukraine, also a NATO partner. to learn more. Everyone is just having fun, friendly bullying. to learn more. Read about our approach to external linking. Ethnic minorities living in Nordic countries were less happy, Very religious people were more likely to be happier, No difference was found between people living in the country and those in cities. If Scandinavia was the Dursley family, Denmark would be Dudley. Their leaders may have different policies as well. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. He also wants Sweden and Finland to publicly disavow the PKK and its affiliates, and to lift their weapons ban on Turkey. A positive decision would then be presented to parliament for approval early next week. As far back as anyone can remember relations between them have been what can only be described as "pretty bloody awful". Could the question, Why do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? come from stereotypes that non-Scandinavians have about people in the region? The study, prepared by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, examines six factors that relate to a heightened state of contentment: Based on these life-affirming results, it is safe to presume that Danish and Swedish forebearers would look upon their progeny with great pride and perhaps even vindication. They were both part of the Kalmar Union between 1397 and 1523, and a personal union between 1814 and 1905. The people who live in neighboring countries around the world, like in Scandinavia, often have many similarities. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, the Danes have the highest cancer rates on the planet. "Swedish women try to moan as little as possible during childbirth and they often ask, when it is all over, whether they screamed very much. It was part of Sweden for 600 years, and the cultures are similar, a minority of Finns speak Swedish, surely they are Swedish? Turkey says Sweden has supported members. Most seriously of all, economic equality which many believe is the foundation of societal success is decreasing. Kurds celebrate to show their support for the independence referendum in Duhok, Iraq, September 26, 2017. And since people far away might not understand the difference, it needs to be marked more thoroughly. They also found that people were more than three times more likely to report a low score if they were unemployed, especially men, who were also more likely to report mental health problems when unemployed. Nu er det nok! Whether it is Denmark's happiness, its restaurants, or TV dramas; Sweden's gender equality, crime novels and retail giants; Finland's schools; Norway's oil wealth and weird songs about foxes; or Iceland's bounce-back from the financial abyss, we have an insatiable appetite for positive Nordic news stories. Stockholm also politically and financially supports the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the SDF, a Kurdish-led militia group created with support from the U.S. to fight ISIS in Syria. Danes in Copenhagen hate it when drunk teenage Swedes from neighboring Malm invade the streets of their city (the legal drinking age is lower in Denmark, 16, than in Sweden, 18). The Swedish approach. Well, they do have high levels of trust and social cohesion, and do very nicely from industrial pork products, but according to the OECD they also work fewer hours per year than most of the rest of the world. 1) The Nordic system kills innovation, and the United States' adopting it would have dire consequences for the world economy. Ask the Danes, and they will tell you that the Norwegians are the most insular and xenophobic of all the Scandinavians, and it is true that since they came into a bit of money in the 1970s the Norwegians have become increasingly Scrooge-like, hoarding their gold, fearful of outsiders. Don't worry man, nobody hates Sweden, it's just sibling rivalry. "The next day, people laugh about it. Some in the region believe Norwegians raise their children differently than others and instill in them a national pride that may not necessarily have implications for neighboring people groups, but it sometimes results in such perceptions. Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO on Wednesday at Allied headquarters in Brussels, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Swedish foreign minister: We won't be secure without NATO membership, Sweden and Finland want to join NATO. According to metrics that measure a populations collective sense of happiness, they have also developed into thriving countries. See Why Do Norwegians Hate Swedes and Danes? Why it matters: A formal objection by Turkey would derail Finland and Sweden's expected NATO applications, which must be approved by all 30 NATO allies. This article was amended on 29 January 2014. After centuries of animosity and war, Denmark and Sweden have learned to co-exist peacefully. And Sweden? "Turkey basically classifies all Kurdish groups it strongly dislikes as PKK front organizations. [5]. We invoke another Latin expression as more pertinent to Sweden's excess corona deaths: ceteris paribus, or "all things equal." It may be no surprise to hear that Northern Europe is top of the charts in SDGs with Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Austria as the top sustainable countries leading the way in creating a more sustainable world. And distancing yourself from identities close to you is a natural part of that. Scandinavian jokes featuring "the Swede, the Dane and the Norwegian" are commonplace in schools. With its tarnished crown jewel, Nokia, devoured by Microsoft, Finland's hitherto robust economy is more dependent than ever on selling paper mostly I was told, to Russian porn barons. When people compare Sweden unfavorably to Finland and Norway to dismiss its laissez-faire policy, they are drawing the opposite conclusion from what the data . Members of Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) continue operations against the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, and the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey regards as a terror group, within Turkey's Operation Peace Spring in Ras Al Ayn, Syria on October 17, 2019. Even ahead of the US. which ranked as the happiest world country in 2018, Prince Andrew offered Frogmore Cottage - reports, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, Bieber cancels remaining Justice world tour dates, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over vote fraud case, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, Eli Lilly caps monthly insulin costs in US at $35. EDIT: Don't you just love it when your first post on a subreddit gets on trending? Like the dealer who never touches his own supply, those dirty frackers the Norwegians boast of using only renewable energy sources, all the while amassing the world's largest sovereign wealth fund selling fossil fuels to the rest of us. No but seriously what did we do? Enough with the envious reports on the abolition of gender-specific pronouns. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The causes of the Scandinavia's states wealth are numerous and complex. A minor linguistic error has also been corrected. Also see Why Do Doors Open Outwards in Sweden? What is considered friendly in one country, may not be in another. - Quora Answer (1 of 22): It is hardly bitter on the Swedish side and I would not use that exact word on the Finnish side either. Back in Spring, as the number of infections skyrocketed around the world, the Finnish government reacted promptly and imposed a two-month long lockdown. The myriad successes of the Nordic countries are no miracle, they were born of a combination of Lutheran modesty, peasant parsimony, geographical determinism and ruthless pragmatism ("The Russians are attacking? We exists to inform people about the people, culture, and history of Northern Europe. But would I want to live in Finland? Your identity is a lot about what you are not. If Scandinavia was the Weasley family, Sweden would be Percy. Socialists quit Denmark coalition over energy deal, 'The grim truth behind the Scandinavian miracle' the nations respond, Finland's heart is not so dark as it's been painted, Nordicana sale in London makes a killing from Scandinavian culture, Climate change: don't get scared, get ready, TheAlmost Nearly Perfect People: TheTruth About theNordic Miracle byMichael Booth review, Borgen creator Adam Price: 'We had to give Birgitte a Faustian choice' - video interview, TheLegacy: Danish treat for BBC viewers to get teeth into post-Borgen, Danish media accused of ignoring plight of jailed computer specialist, Nordic nations respond to the original article, "The Nordic Countries: The Next Supermodel", "Copenhagen really is wonderful for so many reasons,", second only to Iceland when it comes to consuming anti- depressants, "the most successful society the world has ever seen", work fewer hours per year than most of the rest of the world, the highest level of private debt in the world, 2012 report from the Worldwide Fund for Nature, The Legacy, when it comes to BBC4 later this year, Denmark's schools lag behind even the UK's, the sexual orientation of the prime minister's husband, Stephen Kinnock, the Norwegians boast of using only renewable energy sources, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund selling fossil fuels to the rest of us, the highest murder rate in western Europe, the leading cause of death for Finnish men, higher than the UK's and higher than the EU average, an all-time high of close to 10% in the polls. 15 reasons why you should move to Sweden. What's he waiting for? Others disagree and hold that Norwegians raise their children the same as Danes and Swedes do. Swedes working in Norway are popular with customers, employers and workmates alike, alm. [1] But it has so many exciting places that deciding which area to visit can be challenging. It found that in total 12.3% of people living in the Nordic region said they were struggling or suffering, with 13.5% of young people ranking themselves as such. Actually, I have lived in Denmark on and off for about a decade, because my wife's work is here (and she's Danish). Competition and rivalry exist as well. All Rights Reserved. No, that was Italy under Mussolini. It might not seem like there is a big difference between the 2 Scandinavian countries whereas to the land, use and its outlook, but there are a . However, what is often overlooked is that in addition to their raids against foreign people in faraway places like the British Isles and France, the Vikings also waged war against each other. After all, for several centuries, these two nations wanted nothing more than to eradicate the other, and this level of animosity does not dissolve away completely. For much of the Viking Age, the nations of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, as they are known today, did not exist yet. We want to hear from you. At the same time, 1815, Norway's war flag was merged with that of Sweden; a Swedish three pronged flag with a Danish flag in the upper left corner. Driving from the south of the Sweden to the northern . The end of the Kalmar Union also marked the beginning of a tumultuous period that saw Denmark and Sweden engage in numerous bloody conflicts with the aim of achieving supremacy over the strategically important Baltic Sea region. Until someone outside the family tries to beat him up. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. (Also see What Are Reindeer Used for in Norway? The researchers behind In the Shadow of Happiness looked at data collected across five years between 2012-2016 to try and build a better picture of the so-called "happiness superpowers". It is unclear how he would respond if he considers the alliances expansion in northern Europe an existential danger. Look up the word "reticent" in the dictionary and you won't find a picture of an awkward Finn standing in a corner looking at his shoelaces, but you should. Today, they are friendly rivals, especially when it comes to getting in the last word. A Division of NBCUniversal. Turkish Armed Forces | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images. In Denmark, Sweden and Norway, political parties introduced voluntary gender quotas in the 1970s, resulting in high numbers of female political representatives . Between 1814, when Norway gained independence, and 1821, Norway's state flag was simply the Danish flag with the symbolic Norwegian lion in the top left corner. But do some people living today still have resentment and hold negative views about a neighboring people group due to conflicts that happened centuries ago? Historically, the Nordic countries gained a head start by giving women the right to vote before others (Sweden in 1919, Norway in 1913, Iceland and Denmark in 1915, Finland in 1906). According to him, his countrymen have been corrupted by their oil money, are working less, retiring earlier, and calling in sick more frequently. And that is done by distancing, ribbing and at times even a slight hostility. Non-Scandinavians may not be the root cause of any, or all of, such stereotypes, but they may contribute to them by believing them and expressing them to others. But for as long as the internet has . Also see Democratic Socialism in Scandinavia to learn more about Scandinavian culture. Related to the disunity, some people have the perception that Norwegians hate their Swedish and Danish neighbors. (Also see Do Danes and Swedes Hate Each Other?). Finland, Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand all have high GDP per capita, low inequality rates, literacy rates close to 100 %, and prioritise human right issues (e.g.