Sweden

The Embassy of Sweden,The European Institute of Japanese Studies and The National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies present a symposium on “Lessons from Sweden on the Global Financial Crisis”. In times of global financial turmoil Sweden has outperformed many of its European partners by posting positive GDP growth figures, low government debt and relatively low unemployment over the past years. Sweden’s Minister for Finance, Mr Anders Borg – named “European Finance Minister of the Year” in 2011 by the Financial Times – argues that Sweden’s economic performance is due to fiscal prudence and constant reforms. Fiscal consolidation during the crisis of the early 1990’s, continuous sustainability in the public finances and on-going structural reforms have made it possible for Sweden to weather the current crisis well. Meanwhile, Japan is currently confronting challenges of increasing national debt, growing trade deficits, and trying to adapt to new realities in the wake of recovery from one of the country’s largest natural disasters. Is Japan, the world’s third largest economy, ready to reform itself? Does it have to? And are there any lessons to be drawn from the case of Sweden? Key Note Speaker: H.E. Mr. Anders Borg, Minister for Finance, Sweden Panelists: Professor Hiroko Ota, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies Professor Kazuo Ueda, Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo Moderator: Professor Sahoko Kaji, Faculty of Economics, Keio University Presentation slides can be downloaded here: http://www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/Tokyo/Current-affairs/News/Watch-Minister-for-Finance-Mr-Anders-Borgs-seminar-online-sys/

• published: 24 Oct 2012
• views: 119

The economy seems to be a topic on the mouths of people worldwide. Regardless of which nation, and whatever you want to call it; economic downturn, financial crisis, post-bubble America, or recession, there is no arguing that the economy, specifically capitalism, is a topic that is widely being talked about today. Everyone from pundits on the far right, to radicals on the left are weighing in and making their voices heard on what may be a significant change in the way we operate economically and the way we care for each other socially. It is both bizarre and shocking to see how polarized and nonsensical this fight has become. Some hate the proposals made to fix it, others have been waiting their entire careers for this moment, and all sides are eager to cash in from the PR battle. From Glen Beck, and Alex Jones to Michael Moore and the anti-globalization protesters that converged upon the G20 protests last week in Pittsburgh PA, from right to left each side is fervent and exceptional when it comes to rallying it’s base, but where do the average working class folks sit in this debate? Sadly this battle effects them the most. Furthermore it effects the natural world that we all share, it effects the lives and welfare of animals who are bought, sold and used for profit, and effects some of our basic civil liberties. Dennis Lyxzen singer of The (International) Noise Conspiracy, The Lost Patrols Band, and front man to the now defunct and arguably greatest punk rock band of all time, Refused, has a lot to say about capitalism, hierarchy, radical actions, and how every-day youth can find their own space to become political. Most of this footage was shot a couple of years ago and we were sitting on it waiting for the right time and fit. With the recent convergences against the G20 nations summit, the release of Michael Moore’s new film Capitalism: A Love Story, and the ever apparent global economic downturn there really is no better time than now to be having this discussion. CAPITALISM… Capitalism, in its simplest terms is a market economy. Things are bought & sold with collateral similar to any old barter system. Free-market, or “laissez faire” (means hands off) capitalism is capitalism with no government, democratic, or social regulation. Within a “free market” economy the only autonomy that is honored is that of the business generating capital. This second version becomes dangerous when companies grow so large their clout outweighs the political clout and voices of the people in it’s region and hence begin to affect policy and governing bodies. This emboldens companies to dodge prosecution in cases involving things like child labor or pollution, and they can impose their will upon that of the people by doing things like privatizing & selling their only potable water resources. When reading the phrase “free market” or “free trade” read this, “the money, capital, and revenue is free to do what it wants” the legalese reads as if capital is a kind of special person, worthy of extra rights and privileges that the average person does not have. The “Free” in “free” market by no means should be misconstrued as “democratic.” More often than not, free trade, and free markets, can actually be the prerequisite for the limitations of freedoms for the individual. Capital, or Capita also when directly translated from it’s Latin root means “head.” Essentially what we see as capitalism today puts a price on everyone’s heads, a price on every thing both living and non-living; from the kitchen sink to a mountaintop presumed to be rich in coal. In a capitalist society everything has a price, and the dollar takes precedence over everything else. At time that dollar takes precedence over compassion, over people, over basic rights. So what is it’s alternative? Socialism is another word we have heard a lot about lately in the news. More often than not it’s being used as an insult, when a pundit or a TV commentator labels another politician a socialist. Socialism is not all that different from capitalism in the sense that it is still a form of structured government. People still trade things and at times use money, however the difference is that in a socialist economy the government has a hand in economic regulation & social programs. The government takes the power out of the hands of private companies and steps in to assure that the basic needs of the people are being met with things like healthcare, shelter, education, and even subsidies for the arts. Socialism is not a radical or leftist idea, however lately many of the pundits on the right have been quick to label Barrak Obama’s health care proposal a socialist bill and an ominous mile marker in a self-fabricated slippery slope that leads to socialism. In his interview Lyxzen tells us that it is perfectly fair to criticize capitalism. It is not unpatriotic to question capitalism, in fact it is quite the opposite. People

• published: 06 Oct 2009
• views: 3340