The Middle Way

     Linda Nyquist's defense of the Swedish system evinced a number of hostile responses, even accusing it incorrectly of being Marxist. She retorts: "I knew that my comments about Sweden/Scandinavia would not go unchallenged. Yes, Sweden has capitalistic practices, but it has not ceased to offer universal health care, which is quite good, nor has it ceased to protect workers. On several occasions I took groups of physicians and nurses to Sweden to study the health care system. Some of them always spent the entire trip trying to find the flaws, insisting that the places we visited were prepared only for tourists, etc. etc. Someone asked my cousin, Eva, who was the patient ombudsman for Gothenburg and the surrounding area, if she didn't mind paying high taxes and supporting people who don't want to work. She replied, "Well, I have everything that I need. Isn't it right that others have what they need, as well?" This is very typical -- for a Swede to answer with a question.
     I'm "stickin' to my guns here" - Sweden is a very compassionate place, even with the recent changes. The most conservative Swede is pretty liberal by US standards. And virtually NO ONE wants to give up the health care system. Swedes really don't worry about getting sick. And they must be doing something right; look at the longevity statistics and infant mortality data."

Ronald Hilton - 3/24/00