▲ | Jensson 2 days ago | |
It is important to note that Sweden has never had serfdom or in other ways oppressed its people to a high degree like most other countries did, so it makes sense the culture doesn't hate its government as much. People there have had their freedom since the viking ages and probably earlier, it was never taken from them and therefore never scarred the culture. In other countries where peasants had to fight for their freedom their culture reflects that, but Swedes never had to do that. So after millennia of governments letting its people be free why start distrusting the government today? | ||
▲ | dariosalvi78 18 hours ago | parent [-] | |
well, the statare would probably disagree with your statement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statare). It's true that in Sweden most peasants were, at least on paper, more free than in other places, but their conditions were no fun either. I think that trust in government comes from a mix of things, oppression was probably not a necessity, and centralised control was beneficial to most classes, but I see that there is also a very strong cultural element. Trust in authorities is taught in schools in very early ages, I see this with my children and I can compare to other systems (contrary to most Swedes). The folkhemmet ideology is still very strong in this country, it's almost a matter of national pride. To this add the tendency to conformism (jantelagen) and the avoidance of conflicts at all costs, which makes criticising others very badly seen. Regardless where it comes from, I find that the uncritic, often blind trust in authorities in Sweden problematic because it hinders plurality and a sane discussion in society, like in the case of the Chatcontrol law. But individualism is also on the rise, very much so in fact, and the society is changing fast, and with it also trust. |