Economics

When We Say Socialism, We Mean Finland Not China

Nov 27, 2018

Why do people vote against their own interests?  Such as health care, a clean environment, and basic human rights?

The response usually goes â€śI love freedom not socialism!”

And here socialism means a state run totalitarian dictatorship, such as the former Soviet Union, Venezuela, Cuba, or China.

But that is not socialism.  Finland is socialism.  

One note on semantics: "Pure Capitalism" (100% private owned) and "Pure Socialism" (100% public owned) doesn't exist in any country.  Socialism here is meant as a harmony infusing both systems.  You might say this is not socialism but socialist-flavored — fair enough.

Finland has one of the world’s best education systems — it charges no tuition and gives free meals to their students. It has one of the highest standards of living. Government control over the economy is minimal, yet a socialist welfare system remains. The lifestyle in egalitarian and organized — bosses do not treat their subordinates badly.  Its literacy rate is 100 percent. 

Here are few select stats from Finland’s government:

  • Finland is the freest country in the world together with Sweden and Norway.
  • Finland is the safest country in the world.
  • Finland has the least organized crime in the world.
  • Finland’s judicial system is the most independent in the world.
  • Finland is the happiest country in the world.
  • Finland is the third most gender equal country in the world.
  • The air in Finland is the cleanest in the world.
  • Finland has the most human capital in the world.
  • Finland is the most literate country in the world.
  • Finland is the second best country to be a girl in the world.

And before this triggers something nasty inside that makes you react and say “but but impossible here” — just let it absorb for a second, let it absorb before you dismiss the very thing trying to give you more freedom.

Socialism is not a state run totalitarian dictatorship.  Socialism is freedom from the dictatorship of unchecked maniacal capitalism.

The politicians demonize the word "socialism" to profit at your expense.  They get you to vote against your own financial interests.  They idolize China's ability to exploit its people, and so tell you to vote against socialism to not be like China.  It's an ironic loop of hypocritical logic.

Finland's socialist policies are essential to a healthy and balanced capitalism.  It provides protections so the rich won’t abuse their privilege and make you work harder yet stay poorer,  enslave you to debt, strip away your vacations, increase violence, lock people up for its own injustices, poison your food and water, and at the end leaving you bankrupt at a hospital charging you for expensive pharmaceuticals that give you terrible side effects.

Finland, people.  Socialism.  Get with it.