A party with recent roots in the neo-Nazi movement may come first or (more likely) second in Swedish elections this Sunday, and far too few people are paying attention to this stunning development.
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Even at a time when remarkable successes by far-right populists have become commonplace, the rise of the “Sweden Democrats” is remarkable for three reasons.
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First, Social Democrats have historically been extremely strong in Sweden, and built an impressive welfare state over the years.
So if Social Democrats do as badly as expected, it is an especially resonant sign that social democracy is in *deep* crisis across the continent.
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So if Social Democrats do as badly as expected, it is an especially resonant sign that social democracy is in *deep* crisis across the continent.
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Second, the Sweden Democrats’ recent roots in an actual fascist movement mean that the party remains much more extreme than, for example, the People’s Party in neighboring Denmark.
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Third, Sweden has actually done pretty well in the past decades. Unlike in the U.S., for example, Swedish workers have enjoyed big gains in their living standards.
The strength of populists in Sweden thus makes it all the more difficult to see what can beat back the tide.
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The strength of populists in Sweden thus makes it all the more difficult to see what can beat back the tide.
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If you want to understand what’s going on in Sweden before everyone else turns their attention to it next Sunday, listen to the episode of The Good Fight I just recorded with the amazing @pwolodarski!
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slate.com/articles/podca…
6/6
slate.com/articles/podca…
