How Sweden & Denmark Ride the Imperialist Wave, w/ Torkil Lauesen
Vložit
- čas přidán 16. 05. 2024
- When most people think of Sweden, or more broadly, the Scandinavian countries, they imagine a more egalitarian and advanced model to which we should aspire. Some assume without investigating that Sweden and the other Scandinavian countries, Denmark and Norway, have figured out how to be prosperous “socialist” countries.
But this Swedish model is uglier than it might appear to be, with a brutal history and a dangerous present.
To discuss the imperialism on which Scandinavian living standards are built, Rania Khalek was joined by Torkil Lauesen, a long-time anti-imperialist activist and writer, who spent years in prison for his militant activities as a member of a clandestine Danish communist cell. Torkil is also the author of many books, including “Riding the Wave: Sweden's Integration into the Imperialist World System.”
A good book on Torkil’s political activism: "Turning Money into Rebellion: The Unlikely Story of Denmark's Revolutionary Bank Robbers” snylterstaten.dk/turning-mone...
Listen to Dispatches with Rania Khalek anywhere you get podcasts.
Apple: apple.co/3zeYpeW
Spotify: spoti.fi/3za9DRK
TIME CODES
0:00 Intro
1:38 The global perspective
3:38 Scandinavian integration in the imperialist core
9:00 Swedish settlerism
14:43 Sweden, Denmark & the slave trade
19:43 Sweden, Belgium, Congo & Dag Hammarskjöld
25:20 1986 Assassination of Swedish PM Olof Palme
29:03 Formation of the social welfare state
34:06 Racism & national chauvinism
40:40 How social reforms strengthened European imperialism
46:32 What radicalized Torkil into leftist anti-imperialism?
57:26 Global neoliberalism in the last 50 years
1:08:15 The future after covid-19 & Ukraine
1:12:53 End of capitalism?
1:15:57 Opportunity for the revolutionary left?
1:19:58 The Scandinavian military-industrial complex
1:28:34 How to view Russia’s war in Ukraine - Zábava
►Become a Patron: www.patreon.com/BreakThroughNews
►Tweet us on Twitter: twitter.com/BTnewsroom
►Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/btnewsroom/
►Follow us on Telegram: t.me/btnewsroom
►Follow us on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@btnewsroom
Interesting - where the English-speaking bareheaded girl named Ranya would be without the "colonialism"? Nowhere. She couldn't exist.
I've lived in both Sweden and Norway, and ever since I've realized that the best thing about the Scandinavian countries, is their PR.
Still better than USA or UK
That part!
@@user-mj5bl5dy1bno, it’s actually just a different game of brutality and death for the masses. Y’all suck.
This is so true 😂
🤡
Living in Sweden, I'm so happy to see the real Scandinavian reality being talked about outside of the Northern countries.
sure it's no secret all countries shad slaves, the Ottomans took slaves form Europe including Scandinavia , that has nothing to do with Scandinavian wealth today, both countries have been bankrupt several times since, also this guy was not in prison because he was a communist, he was in a Maoist extremist group in Denmark who killed a cop, they robbed banks,department store, and post offices and they had a file with 500 names of Danish Jews who they viewed as Zionists, the also had links to Maoist China, this happened in Denmark in the 70'th and is a very well known case, what he is saying has nothing to do with today and how Sweden or Denmark earn money today
Here in Tunisia we have always been told how perfect a model Sweden is and most people here love Sweden.
the Wallander TV series and the dragon tattoo movies showed a very dark and different side of Sweden and Denmark
As a native American, I would say this was one of the best show I have seen on you tube. I love the truth .
@@randalldrn infinitesimally tiny compared to the mass genocide by your tribe.
@@randalldrn I am a descendant of Chief red cloud Oglala Lakota. He was at the battle of the little big horn and everyone of general Custer's men were killed, he paid for his sins against my people and he had his dick cut off and put in his mouth for raping native woman .
@dan randall, typical albino descendent mentality of manipulating facts.
@@randalldrn infinitely less than the white tribe have
@@randalldrn How many of his "tribe" did *_WE_* kill? 🤔
I would love a discussion between Torkil, Michael Hudson, and Richard Wolff on "corporate welfare vs capitalist welfare" and actual socialism. Interesting distinctions and definitions
To put it roughly in a nutshell Western socialism or left is about support for Imperialism through Financial and ownership of world resources on the cheap with a welfare state. Hence linking Imperialism with socialist characteristics so the population will buy into as they too become the beneficiaries of Imperialism.
Problem is the ones that always for Imperialism are the common folks that were led to believe that they are part of Empire LOL. The income distribution clearly shows that GDP keeps growing every single year and yet the common folks share of the GDP keeps getting smaller LOL. But still they delude themselves into believing that supporting Empire and Imperialism is to their benefit.
Corporate welfare is Giant corporations owning Government and enact policies to benefit them Monopolistically. Capitalist has no welfare that is the Fantasy story fed to the People to believe that its Capitalism that has made them rich or enjoy high living standards and quality of life.
If you go back to the Feudal era its exactly the same as the Nobility class owns everything including the Banks, control and owns the Military and Police as Brutal instruments to keep the population under control.
@@weiskl887 - This interview, and your comment, have given substance to my claim that "we have democratized feudalism and called it liberty". What I see, without being able to articulately substantiate, is that all we have done is wrestle the power structure away from the monarchs and Lords into the hands of a new (an arguably a more sinister) elite. This elite, since it has no original "social class" is characterized by personal traits - narcissist that have a high network capability. I think if you examine those who control the 1% these traits are consistent among that population (male or female). This elite has developed a legal structure that legitimizes their racket. Couple that with the capture of democratic institutions and one starts to realize just how hard it is to "break" the system. The monarchy had no legal structure binding it. It was relatively easy to convince people to break with them (as an institution and driver of society). This new elite use democracy to give it legitimacy. They give "the people" opportunities to chose from and claim that if you don't exercise your right to chose, you can´t complain about the outcome. That is a genius "sleight of hand", because it has people believing that they have to invest in a selection process that they control (rigged) themselves.
One can actually have to admire how they have rigged the game. People have bought the bait "hook, line and sinker". We even police each other through cultural norms (hold us accountable to cultural norms) and softly coerce ourselves to self-sensor. They don´t have to do too much...
I´m not surprised that we don't hear more from people like Torkil. His views can potentially "wake people up" and then there would be rioting in the streets. The few need to be able to control the many...
Thanks for sharing your perspective! You helped me make sense of my own "theory".
@@weiskl887 Interesting. From economic expert said basicly history of "welfare" or socialism in form of education benefits society by allowing more people training and thus join workforce and avoid problem that they would be very poor with no prospects in life. This is socialism, as corporations have no responsibility but to just offset this education cost to society, and then taxes have to pay it. Corporations (companies?) are fine as long as they cant supersede government and laws. Now they often can bypass those with lobbying and money and influence and working in multiple countries blackmailing populations and governments to compete for lowest bid. What was capitalist welfare? is it nothingburger? Closest I understand capitalist welfare what we have now is unemploued get couple coins but low living standard and social isolation, but illusion that they have it good (with propaganda and comparisons how your money is excellent in world standard, but you still starve as local prices are relative to average income of region)
Very refreshing Rania to have Torkil Lausen on the channel, "airing" from Lebanon. He is a true idealist and a treasure trove when it comes to the truths, they do not want you to know about, even in Scandinavia. You do not hear much about him here in Denmark, because the Left, as represented in the past by Anker Jørgensen, Jens Otto Krag, has been slowly vanishing and it is not trendy anymore (in Scandinavia) to think in terms of social inequality or workers rights. The Danish Caribbean Islands (Today US Virgin Islands) were sold to USA in 1917 for $ 25.000.000,-).
Scandinavia and Danish societies were class societies long before capitalism, long before there was an economic surplus sufficient to support a ruling class, took root in the Netherlands. When you have a ruling class you also have the ruling ideas of that social class. Besides the origins of kings, dynasties, monarchies, began as tribes, large family clans, in the age of Antiquity, it would be difficult to prove even socialist ideas are even authentically socialist in the framework of the class structure of societies of kings, lords, serfs, peasants, who became or where socially transformed into capitalists and workers, and the windmill its first force of production. The new illusion has to be perfected by specialists. The concepts of honor, loyalty, originating from aristocracy, get incorporated into the ideas of freedom and equality with capitalism.
@@MrDXRamirez Generally speaking I totally agree with you. Though, Ideas (left leaning) that prevailed in the 60S-70S among the majority of students attending Danish Universities at that time, started to fade out in the late 80S-90S and accelerated dramatically with the premiership of Anders Fogh Rasmussen, later rewarded with the job of NATO Secretary General... Like Blair, G. W. Bush, A. Fogh Rasmussen is a war criminal. He was the one that got us in the Afghan and Iraq wars, with the catastrophic socio-economic results, we can see today, the death of 43 Danish soldiers in Afghanistan, the death of more than 1 million Iraqis, the destruction of Iraq, the loss of 37 Danish soldiers in the theater of operation + 7 later, as a consequence of their participation in the war. 242 Danish soldiers were injured in Iraq. Many of those soldiers who were lucky to return home alive suffer today of PTSD. The Civil Engineering company I worked for, together with Danfoss, lost its marked in Iraq... Other Danish companies lost their market in Libya. Scandinavia and Europe got millions of refugees as a reward for our participation in GB-USA wars... Cui Bono?
Unfortunately, the more associated/integrated with GB-USA-NATO Denmark becomes, the bigger is the loss of traditional Danish/Scandinavian values, humanism and pacifism. The Danish Queen is merely a symbol unifying the Danes as a nation. She is not a policy maker. The Danish Folketing (Parliament) and the acting Government are the ones that decide (often via political consensus) both domestic and foreign policy. They might drag their feet a little, but usually they end up following the lead and cooperating fully with GB-USA-NATO.
look him up then you understand why we don't hear about him in Denmark (anymore) his terror group was however once famous Blekingegade banden
@MrDXRamirez good argument
@@veronicajensen7690 True that. One of which "accomplishments" were to execute a young police officer in cold blood during one of their robberies. Probably not a voice to listen to.
In Scandinavia,the original order of preferences in hieratical order was always Denmark with Sweden at the top with its nobility and the rivalry between them,then came Norway and last Finland.
The Norwegians were considered a conquered people (The last real Norwegian King died in the latter part of the 12th century) Norwegians lived in isolation in villages spread throughout its long country and islands,the main cities Oslo Bergen and Trondheim,Norwegians had to speak and converse in Danish for a chance of a good job,attend schools,university etc,Finnish after been conquered by Sweden were seen by the Swedish as ignorant peasants,this attitude persisted up to the loss of Finland to Imperial Russia,the Finnish gained some independence from Russia to speak their own language and apply for official jobs without using the Swedish language as previously.Now in the 20th century the social democratic experiment,started in Sweden,spread to Denmark,Norway and eventually to Finland and to some extent Iceland,actually the reality of this political ideology is just different faces of the same fascist coin,as always in Sweden,Norway and Finland fascism has always been the other face of these countries with experiments in the Nazi ideology prior and during the second world war.The crossover between fascist ideas and social democracy is used in the draconian laws these countries share and prevalent even today,Now their is not much differences between all of them, with maybe the exception of Iceland who is a more free thinking independent people.
Norway and Finland is the only modern northern west places that resembles any form of intelligence now, Blandland and Donmarx is phucked as of now..
For the most of the Denmark-Norway period danish wasn’t much of a thing in higher education (unlike French and German) edit - and Latin + Greek - Iceland had that problem like Greenland/fareo islands - but maybe danish were required anyway (btw trading hubs had many German and other speakers)
I would love to know how social democracy is fascist
@@oliverpolo1 f
Fachism = state ideology + corporations + nationalism + racism (fits exacly the Swedish social democracy starting in 1930s)
Bergen was mostly Low German and Norwegian speaking
That was a fantastic interview. Thank you and thanks Mr. Lauesen for taking the time and for your insight.
As I've always said "For the few to have so much, the many must continue to have very little "
Excellent. That is intergenerational wisdom. The Portuguese writer Almeida Garret wrote before Karl Marx that it needs to impoverish 1000 to create 1 rich. 😮
@@blairhakamies4132Why impoverish though? My ancestors were already dirt poor and having 1 or 5 more rich people wouldn't change that fact.
@@NoctLightCloudI understand your angle. What I shared it was just a wise reflection of Almeida Garret. Finance = Property =... = Circulation it is a null sum game. The way of "escaping" had been by addition dimensions for money circulation. Maybe you read already the books of Professor Michael Hudson. I recommend him because he is more intelligent than me and expresses much better what I been meditating even before I bumped on his books. By the way we are all brothers and sisters. So, your and mine ancestors were poor in money terms of today's metrics. Have a beautiful day in this beautiful planet with so many wonderful people. 🌎
@@blairhakamies4132 I agree.
Thank you both so much for the conversation - informative and intelligent.
Dang a fellow Scandinavian bashing us that's awesome, here in Sweden we need a lecture for sure
It is ok - the next lecture you will get in the mosque in Arabic.
Why do you need a lecture? Sweden is a great country.
@@constantineblyuz5786Gå och dra något gammalt över dig, käre hatfyllda tomte. 😏
Jag håller med. Svenskar verkar tro att dom själva är ett särskilt duktigt folk, och att vårat välstånd är ett resultat av detta.
@@jasonhill2348Sverige är ett land som är helt beroende av exploitation av tredje världen.
09:00 A strong motivation for the Swedes to migrate was the Colonial Wars, where Swedish nobles led private wars around the world, on their own initiative or as mercenaries. War games were a bizarre entertainment and there are stories where Swedish regiments fight other Swedish regiments, all the while both their Lords, from a hill at a proper distance and with a splendid view, share lunch together under parasols and hand held fans.
Another similar motivation for the Swedes to migrate to America can also be traced to the military alliance between Denmark and Sweden, which, as a result of the Peace of Roskilde, asserted that Sweden must assist Denmark with resources, including soldiers in the event of war, as compensation for that, East Denmark lost in Scania.
The soldiers, who were generally recruited from the peasant population, were thus to assist Denmark in, for example, the Danish defense of Schleswig-Holstein. In Napoleon's war, where the two countries were in opposition, with Denmark taking Napoleon's side and Sweden standing up against Napoleon, it is not inconceivable that there might have been someone in the Swedish cabinet who got the idea to start the South Swedish migration to America.
I think there are a lot of inaccuracies in this text, first, Sweden were not really involved in the colonial wars outside of Europe, just a few battles,
secondly, we did not assist Denmark in any wars, the king wanted to help Denmark to defend Schleswig, but this didn't happen because the parliament disapproved,
Third, the important reasons for swedes migration was because they wanted religious freedom and because they were poor, in Sweden there was a lot of starvation at the time
Thanks a lot for the interesting interview. I found it just wonderful to see how Rania gave Torkil the time he needed to formulate his thoughts in English, never seen that anywhhere else. And as a Danish person I learned a lot about my own country. Great work!
google Blekingegade banden for at forstå hvem han er
RIP SCANDAVIAN SOCIALISM MODEL
bleeding dry as we speak
Can you find better? 😮
@@blairhakamies4132 Soon nothing will be better. It May be slower in North Europe but they will decay under capitalism just like everyone else. Just a month ago, Finland adopted a new labor law at the expense of the worker.
Any country with a better system? Give us an example!
@@bossofdeath7862if you look further, there might be hope.
Thank you for this conversation, truly fascinating
What brilliant interview, Torkil really clarified
The reasons and need for collaboration between socialists for the three-some Economic, ecological, and nationalist set of contradictions.
I live in Sweden and recognize what Torkil has said about Sweden and it’s absurd present neo nationalist so called Social Democratic Government.
I don’t think that Swedes have a mass media that is prepared to critically understand the fact that the USA/UK need a War in order to
Develop their War Industries, and also want to exploit the huge natural resources of Russia.
The major problem is that the US Oligarchs was continuous war. But the Russian Military
will defeat the US and the European populations will not accept the U.S. dominance. The present EU leaders are now regarded as buffoon’s who have almost destroyed EU independence and it development. This is another contradiction -
The fact that many Europeans do not want a U.S./UK dominance and have a preference for future collaboration with Russia and z China. Europe is after all geographically
Near and connected to Asia.
Thanks for your engaging and always. Informative program!
PPP p
You are correct, most people here in Sweden are oblivious to how the real world works. Especially, state run media explains it in a way to never criticize the US publically. All the journalists in the country keep absolutely silent about Julian Assange. Except for major shifts in his situation, for instance when he was kidnapped from the Embassy. No one critically opposes anything in the case, and its seems to be an unwritten rule all over the western world. Criticize the security state and you will be dealt with harsh and brutally. Just like we torture Julian right now. I hope you understand the nuisances here, the media can of course and are reporting when something big happens, like Snowden etc. But never the much more important and deeper truths and realities he exposed. We are basically living in an illusion of free press and democracy. Which is just like FIAT currencies, they only have value when people believe they do. If democracy really worked, it would be banned and declared illegal.
Well, at least it's better than Stasi Germany, but the pace and ferociousness the US is headed towards a fascists state with the current Alzheimer puppet President is alarming to say the least!
same, not swedish but live in sweden. 0 critical media here. BTW, Former Swedish PM Carl Bildt has been the driving force behind Ukrainian "integration" into Europe
@@Cuplex1 Reason no one talks about Assange is that he was accused of SEX CRIMES, so thus is a pariah as the Swedish government accepted feminism as state policy.
You must live on a different planet to me. I am in the UK and don't recognise anything you just said.
Great perspective to explore. Solidly interesting journalism's!
Fascinating conversation! I really learned a lot. Really want to get into his works!
Rania has some of the best guests over. One can learn so damn much.
Welfare makes it more bearable to be a slave for the rich. And thus it secures the peace. People don't mind being slaves as long as others has it worse.
Hierarchy of hegemony is the reduction of human suffering at the expense of others as one rises in power.
The last line. Well said
Slaves how?
@@linclip some people live in a strange world construct.
You think. 👏. Now most of Homo Sapiens Sapiens are building a digital concentration camp. They are very HAPPY about it. 😢
Another completely fresh and extremely insightful interview on this channel which is becoming the best place on the web to learn heavy political economy!!! One book the guest might like is called Who Killed Hammarskjold... the authors first name is Susan but the last name escapes me. She did an incredible job and basically DID solve the crime. I think he would be fascinated by her details. Ludo de Wittes book about Lumumba also has great details on Hammarskjold's terrible actions against Lumumba and Swedish corporate interests.
The man is an encyclopedia! Great interview!
Oh and what is not really pointed out in this interview. Is the Sovereign Funds of the Nordic and Scandinavian countries. The Sovereign Funds of both are based on predatory imperialist multinational businesses of those countries. Who get the backing of the Governments of those countries. Such as Fracked Gas mining, illegal in those countries, but doing it in the Global South, is A OK. Or Nestle going around the Global South to buy up water rights. Which Nestle is now also doing the same in North America. With cooperation of the local, state, and federal governments. Just 2 examples of imperialist actions, out of hundreds done. And the sovereign funds are what bank rolls the welfare states of both.
Example: Norway's Sovereign Fund owns a goodly share of Athabasca Tar Sands projects in so-called Alberta, Canada. You think they'll push to shutter it for humanity's sake? 😂😂😂
So what's your point? What do you propose? No multinational companies?
I'm an Australian living in Sweden. This is also my perspective on Sweden.
🤡
Amazing, thank you so much for bringing Torkil to my attention!
Thank you so much. Which European countries, if any, played no role in colonialism?
Good question
Slovakia, Czech rep, Báltic countries, Greece, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Ireland. Some other countries arrived late. Britain and France, Holland the worse ones.
@@zampieritto list Denmark worst
@@zampieritto Norwegian and Icelandic merchants and ports played a role in trans-atlantic slave trade within the dual monarchy of Denmark-Norway. Not to forget that Finland and Norway (as well as Sweden and Russia) also did settler-colonialism and cultural genocide in and around the arctic circle against the Sami people.
Balkan countries minus Ottoman empire. Balkan countries were object of colonialism.
Great work, Rania. Greetings from Denmark, the tiny vulture state. ;)
I look forward to hearing about how the Swedish & Finnish ways of life are being destroyed as a result of being foolish enough to join the Nationalistic Alliance of Totalitarian Oligarchs (NATO).
National Alliance of Totalitarian Oligarchs is why we have Ukraine as a proxy war and is an example of wealth inequality being a sociological disease.
Isn't it interesting how the acronym fits with all kinds of descriptions like Nazi Aryan Training Organization. (NATO)
Narcopathic* you mean..
Nazi And Terrorist Organization
Nobody in Sweden is even questioning it and it is the most dystopian occurrence of my lifetime.
News sources started reporting on it a week before the prime minister Magdalena Andersson announced there would be a decision to apply for membership in NATO on rhe 15th of May.
Everyone aged out of the cannon foder age group is a fervent advocate for Sweden to join the alliance. Greta Thunberg sat outside of the parliament for years in protest meanwhile 10 million people couldn't give less of a shit about Sweden ending 200 years of "neutrality".
An online petition circulating opposing the solicitude of joining NATO hasn't even reached 2000 signatures.
Sweden had a big colony right next to them: Finland, which made about 1/3 of the population of the kingdom. There was a remarkable difference though with Sweden and Finland: Finland had very little nobility and noble owned land, land was owned mainly independent peasants while in Sweden land was mostly owned by the nobility and the crown. And unfortunately for Finland, peasants were treated much harsher than nobility. Noblity was much freed from taxes and peasants had to give relatively MUCH more men into military than noble owned land, and the crown owned land was completely freed from military service. Both crown taxes and church taxes were taken from Finland to Sweden, and much of it never came back, so labour and production in Finland was similar in fashion as labour in colonial countries: profits were taken out from the country. Also as the state language and language of the military and church were Swedish, much of the best jobs in the kingdom landed on the Swedish speaking people. Many times it was people from Sweden that got the highest jobs in Finland, so even the state and church paid jobs in Finland the money often flowed back to Sweden.
BTW, most of the settlers from Sweden into the Swedish colony (Nya-Sverige, New Sweden) in North America were Finns. Many of them were Finns who lived in Sweden though, as Finns populated the forests in Sweden that Swedish people could not use for agriculture, but Finns who still practised slash and burn agriculture (which by the way gives much better harvest than field agriculture, but also needs a lot of forest) knew how to use the forests. These "Forest Finns" became unwanted people in Sweden when the need of timber became more important than need of agricultural products. In fact slash and burn agriculture became criminal and was banned, and those Finns in Sweden became outlaws, thus driving migration into America.
Also, because most early settlers into North America from Sweden to America were Finns, they knew how to practice forest livelyhood there too, and were in spear tip of colonizing forests (near the Great Lakes) in America. For example the American log house is in fact Finnish building tradition adobted in America, and Finns got along well with American natives, as both had shamanistic views of the world and spirituality and respect of nature. Hence Finns married often with American natives, and with the Ojibwe the marriages were so common they call these people as Findians (even Wikipedia knows Findians) who are result of Ojbwe-Finnish marriages.
The early Finns were agricultural tribes, so there certainly was exploitation by big land-owners. The hunter-gatherer Sami tribes had been driven away from their lands by Finnish settlers. More importantly, you forgot to mention that Finland today is just the same kind of imperialist country as Sweden. You only have to take a look at big Finnish banks (Nordea, NIB etc.) and industries (UPM Kymmene, Neste, Patria etc.). Finnish oligarchs, backed by the state, are plundering countries all over the world.
@@henrirauhala4335 The Sami people have most Siberian DNA of the people living in Fennoscandia. Ancient Sami DNA samples have 35% to 50% same DNA component as the Nganasan people who are considered closest modern people to the Paleo-Siberians. It would suggest the Sami moved into Scandinavia probably in the Iron Age, as this genetic component was dated to Iron Age (a few centuries BC). See the 2018 study "Ancient Fennoscandian genomes reveal origin and spread of Siberian ancestry in Europe". Before that Sami arrival was guestimated to about 1500BC.
Finland's people spoke unknown languages before Finnic languages took over, there's plenty of unknown language placeneames in Finland.
There's no ancient DNA samples found of Finland's settlers. Burials in Finland and Estonia were similar throughout Bronze and Iron Age, so who ever lived in Estonia, had closely similar culture to the people living in Finland. At the moment best guess in the forefathers of Late Proto-Finnic speaking peoples (Estonians, Finns, Veps) arrived to Eastern Baltic Sea region about 1000BC.
The earliest DNA found in Finland are from the Iron Age Leväluhta burials, and they were buried quite different fashion than the most common burials in Finland and Estonia. While the most common burial type was cremations and the ash then buried in stone structures, the Leväluhta people were not cremated and there were no stone structures. The Leväluhta people were Sami people, all but one who was Balt-Scandinavian descend. Their DNA was preserved due the lucky incident that the cemetary turned into a swamp and there was no oxygen in the ground.
Linquists have for several times tried to make scenarios when Finnic languages speaking peoples (Sami, Finns, Estonians, Veps) or their language came to the Eastern Baltic Sea shores, but all theoris have always fallen under suspicision after a few years: I would not trust linguists can make any good theories, from linguistic evidence alone, going so far back.
What can be said, that Finns, Estonians, Veps and Northern Russians are closer to each others genetically, than anyone of them is to the Sami. But then again Finns are genetically closest people to Sami.
@@Aurinkohirvi The study you referred to contains the following: "Linguistic evidence shows that Saami languages were spoken in Finland prior to the arrival of the early Finnish language and have dominated the whole of the Finnish region before 1000 CE." Indeed, Finnish speakers were invaders. Later the bourgeois Finnish nation state actually tried to eliminate Sami languages; the same thing happened in Sweden and Norway.
@@henrirauhala4335 LINQUISTIC evidence, the paper is about GENETIC evidence. They're stating AN idea. There's no concensus where and when did Baltic-Finnic dialects separate from each others. There's consensus that Proto Samic departed first from the other languages, but not WHO spoke the Finno-Samic proto language and when. You know that it is entirely possible that whole of Finland's people, BOTH the forefathers of the Finns and the Sami, spoke that language, then Finnish separated from Sami because of the southern language contacts.
Both the ethnic Finns and Sami are also language changers according to their current idea. Both adobted the language from their neighbors (and possibly migrating people).
I've watched linguists suggesting new theories for 30 years. Time and time again they were wrong, and developed a new idea, and it always was and still is, difficult to find handful of linguists who agree with each others. I have zerotrust that we can expect them develop a linguistic idea that actually corresponds with reality, they need genetic and archelogic data, and even with that, they were always wrong.
@@henrirauhala4335 what vision do you have for the finns and sami people in the future? living side by side; maybe independence for the Sámi people? i have been very interested in learning more about Sámi culture and self determination!
@45:00 this is a perfect illustration of how exports are your real cost. Only in the case of the global south workers producing for Volvo and Ikea they are not even getting the benefits of the imports most global north nations would get that the exports are paying for, because most of the profit from mark-up goes straight into the accounts of the owners in Sweden. Even in china where the factories are owned by Chinese firms, the mark-up profit is going into a Chinese oligarchs account, not their workers. Governments have the power do do things about this, with mark-up restrictions, profit sharing laws, and worker coop tax concessions and a lot more, they just choose not to --- heck, it would employ for public service too many regulators!!!.
Labor unions might also help the workers get paid higher wages but the oligarchs control the worthless politicians who pass laws that limit or ban unions. Striking might also help but the corporations have been made so wealthy through corporate welfare and exploitation of workers so that they can survive even with a long work stoppages.
The richer you are the more individualistic. Then not only you don't want to share, you can't understand other people's problems any more. This is true all over Europe.
Denmark is no longer socialist. But only the people in the button has noticed, because the media tells them that it is far to socialist.
usa media thinks the third reich was too socialist.
:-(
They never were. The Danish proletariat never overthrew their own bourgeoisie. Social democracy only leaves the class system intact while imperialism robs the people of the global south. There’s no socialism to be had without revolution; social chauvinism is the best you can have.
@@danieljprice9317 I agree but could there be social democracy everywhere? I mean global north and global south? yes, this is not socialism but it would make life a little bit nicer for working class folk, ja?
with the productivity of labor so high now, imperialism is not needed to have social welfare. we gave ukraine more last week than it would take to eliminate homelessness in usa. it is the super yachts, private jets and enormous mansions that take up the money. oligarchs always want more no matter how much they have.
It's not really give, it's loan. Basically MIC is money laundering US taxes. So taxes that could be used to improve the lives of average Americans are being pocketed by the oligarchs of the MIC.
The money to Ukraine is about strategy and it actually helps the American economy. Supporting freeloaders, on the other hand, is not beneficial.
Great interview! Thanks!
Always remember: it was the USSR that brought social democracy to the Nordic countries.
How?
The Bolshevik revolution was a threat to capitalists and monarchists all over the world, but particularly to its neighbors, who were terrified not only of losing all of their power so totally but the possibility of losing their lives in the process.
Thus, a plan was developed: social democracy. Give the working class enough concessions to sate their needs and maintain control. Make the ruling order tolerable. Make capitalism and monarchism seem viable, make communist revolution seem extreme and unnecessary.
This is also why, especially in the last 30ish years, the social democratic policies in the Nordic countries have been stripped further and further away: the USSR dissolved and there was nothing keeping the ruling class from revoking concessions.
The lesson to remember here is that concessions granted from a ruling class of capitalists or monarchists can and will always be revoked. The same thing is happening elsewhere in Western Europe, the same thing happened in America where the Gilded Age was causing revolutionary sentiment and the New Deal placated it, only to be stripped away to the Gilded Age 2.0 that we arrive at today. And, again, if the bourgeoisie feels threatened, they will again try to bargain and keep their positions with social democratic policies. They will try to bribe the local working class to go back to sleep, willing to find new abroad victims to shoulder the burden and prop up the imperial working class if it means preservation of capitalism and living to see another day. They always pay for these policies with the blood of vulnerable, faraway, often racially demonized peoples, seldom do they actually dig into their own pocketbooks, but if desperate enough they may even do this.
They will grow more desperate as China continues to grow and communism continues to prove itself indomitable and inevitable. Do not fall for their tricks. They will gladly stab the working class in the back again and again if we choose to be docile and fall for their lure.
It is happening rapidly with NEOLIBERAL policies, specifically from Göran Persson
The same for post WWII Europe. The comunist party was strong in France, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia and others nazi occupied countries where the resistance antinazi where mainly communists. The improving of workers conditions became a necessity to avoid a government takeover by the communists. Then the USSR desapears and workers condition began to fall to prewar conditions.
Yeah but Communism isn't possible within the context of only one country. At most China is a social-leaning country rn.
This is an accurate analysis of the development of social democracy/welfare capitalism. It is based on political economy, not merely on economics.
@@flysmask If we're being technical about it I would go as far to say a stateless, classless, moneyless society of any notable size has never existed anytime in modern history, me calling China "communist" is just my shorthand for "socialism-striving country that is actively fighting the capitalist hegemony in the global class war." Right now their society is not wildly different for its everyday people from a social democratic society but the key difference lays IMO in that the Communist Party (as of now, and admittedly with unofficial internal resistance) reigns over China and its future as opposed opposed to capitalists.
Kind of a nitpick but I don't think socialism/communism/etc. is IMPOSSIBLE within just one country. Is it much easier with more? Yes, of course, the more the merrier. Could it ever truly exist while capitalist hegemony reigns supreme over the Earth? Debatable. Definitely more difficult but I don't think impossible, IMO.
Regarding "socialism in one country" and China, I will say that there are other socialist prospects that I think China is holding out for. Their strategy is to not actively stoke and support revolutions like the USSR but we still have countries like Vietnam, Cuba, Bolivia, etc. holding on, and then there is massive potential in Russia, India, and many other African, East Asian, Middle Eastern etc. nations to join the team as this century wears on. China is strengthening relationships with countries willing to, at the bare minimum, resist Western imperialism, and many of these countries might additionally swing leftwards as they have their own independent communist movements and close relations with China will continue a cross pollination of such policies and values (inshallah).
I really appreciated this talk, but his points about the Middle East really strike me as like those leftists who criticize the Palestinian resistance by simply disappearing the praxis and outlook of groups which are not left wing or deemed insufficiently so. Same with Lebanon, where whatever you think about Hezbollah they fought a war against Israel in 2005 and won! How’s that for ideology informing practice in order to make progressive gains?
Yeah I understand what you are saying, it's the same reason I support Iran, not because Iran is some ideal socialist society, but because they are victims of imperialism, all anti imperialists should support those who struggle against tyranny, even if we differ ideologically from them.
Thank you Rania Khalek for introducing Mr. Torkill to your viewers. He gave a very insightful facts on imperialism in Scandenavia
What a clear thinker and principled person of the left. Thank you Rania and Torkil for this thoughtful discussion on Scandinavia and Imperialism.
Yes - outstanding interview…
Mr. Lauesen is soft spoken so some people may tune out after the first part of the interview, but I find the later part of the interview quite interesting ;D
Liked this video the other day, and it came up again but my like was gone.
Thanks for real journalism.
Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark had this image of peaceful, non-warmongering, democratic countries. I had that impression too. However, with their support of Islamophobia under the guise of freedom of speech, and their Russophobia, and their habit of ganging up with NATO and America has convinced me they are hyenas in sheep's clothing. Sweden has a record of invading Russia. Finland joined the Nazis in sieging Leningrad. Norway collaborated with the Nazis and is believed to have helped the US in sabotage of the Nordstream pipeline. Look at the way Rasmussen, Stoltenberg speak and you know.
Norway fought the Nazis not collaborated. For the Nordstream ting that was done by ukraine Not Norway or any of the scandinavian countries.
@@PeterBuvik Who gave the word quisling to the English language ? It was not the Soviets or the Red Army.
Ukraine did not have the capacity to do Nordstream. It was done by the two profiteering beneficiaries of gas to Europe - US and Norway
I am glad you are talking about that. Great show.
As a hardcore cynic from Asia with zero ties to any "side", is this a way of justifying the eventual "browning" of the Scandinavian territories? You're basically implying they had it coming because they aren't so different to the traditionally imperial powerhouses such as the British, French, etc? Seems awfully mean-spirited IMO.
Very interesting!
I needed that thorough analysis & left perspective on Sweden & Scandinavia.
Yes its interesting even for me living in Sweden knowing just how oblivious the majority of swedes are to how the world in large works. Based on fantasies and easily formulated rhetoric preached by the MSM in how to condemn China and Putin or anyone else not friendly/subservient to the west. Putin is the best example of extreme misrepresentation and character assassination, did he kill the dinosaurs off too? Was he behind the black plague during the dark ages?
It's in these terms without tethering to reality he is both given superhuman abilities to form every dessision anywhere, to know everything, everything in order to hive make sure everyone understands unconsciously that he is the bad guy. No matter what.
The contradictions when you think about it are all over the place. Meaning rules/ethics & laws are in place to control YOU, we (the elite) make the rules hence they dont apply to us.
For example, you won't see or ready anything about Saudi Arabia and the Yemen war, or even Julian Assange. Nothing about all the atrocious things the Ukrainean militia and military are doing to in own people. Killing journalists who fail to meet the propaganda rhetoric, abduct Parliament members, even that they banned all opposing political parties, shut down all news agencies who were not state controlled. Calling that a democracy is dystopian.
Thank you for this incisive, brilliant analysis!
terrific show
[1/2] Important topic. I am from Republic of Finland*, and I do not know so well Swedish or Danish history, but I know Finnish one. Finland was not independent actor during first way of colonialism but instead got independence from Soviet Russia in last hours of 1917, after being roughly century as part of Russian Empire and centuries before that partially part of Swedish Kingdom and partially Russian Empire (border often changed during centuries). But one thing what Torkil do not mention about colonialism today, is the fact (*=) Finland, Sweden and Norway (and Russia) even today occupies my homeland "Lapland" or "Land of Sámi". And Denmark occupies Greenland. Iceland is only Nordic country which is not occupying anyone else's land than their own (and only Nordic country which do not have own army). Colonialism is not over. Finland even is only Nordic country which did not recognise Sámi people's indigenous rights. (They had decades of intentions to do such, but every government fails to do that. Because there is complex problems in Lapland, and A) every government recognises that problems are very complex and B) they do not see reason to actually study the problems and try to solve them, but instead just avoid doing anything. And that is also reason why things getting worse and worse after years and decades passing: we do not have power in Lapland to solve our problems, but also those who have in Helsinki, they do not care our problems.
As a Sámi people, I can say that we have more common to native Americans or aboriginals of Australia than to Finns or Swedish. Finns and Swedish have imperialist mindset. They are exploiting our land, our people. They believe that they are very good people now, when they do not any more try actively destroy our population or languages (we have more than one language). They believe they are good people because they reached bare minimum in humane behave. Yes, it is nicer than if they would try to put us in gas chambers or reservates or so... but it is not good, respectful politics what they do. We still must live under their capitalistic laws, what are strongly against our earth bounded cultures. We do not want harm and exploit nature as they want. But we are forced to live under their laws and rules, in way as they think people should live.
And we still have similar fights and conflicts in Sweden and Finland as USA had with Keystone XXL pipeline: than imperialists do not care about our culture or life in their projects.
---
About history of Finland from perspective of developing "welfare society" ("hyvinvointiyhteiskunta") and decay of it... I try to keep it short, but because history of nation for time scale of a century is not really small, short thing... it means I must drop out things what would be good to know generally.
Finland got independence from Russia in 31.12.1917, last day in year... but ended in civil war just few months after that because opposition (socialists or "red") lost fully trust on "white" (bourgeoisie) government (back then instead of word "government" ("hallitus") there was used word "senate" ("senaatti"), but basically it was same thing), since they started so quickly to weakening positions of socialists and had power politics where they did not cared opposition politics at all. However, red troops lost civil war in few months, especially since Imperial Germany send their navy to bombard Helsinki and troops to capture the capital city and other southern parts of the nation. Finland turned for short time to become puppet state for Germany, but later in same year (1918) Germany surrendered in WWI and withdrew from Finland too. Before that there was plans to make Finland a Kingdom with German king (Friedrich Karl Ludwig Konstantin von Hessen-Kassel was Finland's first and last king - he never arrived to Finland before he gave up from his position as king of Finland). Turning Finland to kingdom was only (almost) possible because most of socialist members of parliament were imprisoned after civil war or escaped to Soviet Russia, meaning that 111 of 200 member of parliament was still actually part of parliament (in elections of 1917 there were 92 members of social democratic party elected to be in parliament, and 108 from other parties. In 1917 there were only one socialist/leftist party in Finland, in 1918 this changed after civil war, many more radical leftist parties were created and immediately illegalised - such as Communist Party of Finland and People's Democratic League of Finland. However, no matter that white army won the civil war, there were so wide support for rebels among population that government actually needed to give lot of losing side demands to become true. Next decades Finland was very unstable and constantly near for new civil war and coup attempts. Far right rouse to fight violently against socialists, and governments tried to balance in situation were they really did not had control over society. In late of 1910's and early of 1920's Finland did took part of Russian civil war to send troops to Russian soil, and made also peace treaty with Russia and promised to stop sending or "allow volunteers" to take attacks against Russia any more.
Far right groups like Lapuan Liike ("Movement of Lapua") or IKL - Isänmaallinen Kansanliike (something like "Patriotic People's Movement" or "Father's Land's People's Movement") which was very strongly Mussolini/Hitler style far right party with military uniforms used in public places like in parliament, rose in 30's and tried few times made coup against government, which government survived with more of lucky than anything else. Lapuan Liike was dismantled, but IKL rose to parliament and were part of state and decision making. IKL wanted "put borders to Urals" - meaning, that they wanted create "Greater Finland" were all European parts of Russia is conquered by Finland and it's nazi-allies. And that was part of public life in 1930's and 40's in Finland.
[continues...]
[2/2] But political change happen in 1944 when Finland made ceasefire agreement with USSR and eventually were part of Paris Peace Treaty. As part of the peace treaty, Finland promised to illegalis far right organisations and legalise socialist and communist ones. This meant that IKL lost it's position, and their closest ally, National Coalition Party (Kansallinen Kokoomus) needed purge far right persons from their members in order to stay legal party. (National Coalition was pro-monarchist in 1910's, pro-fascist from 1930's and ever since end of WWII pro-Washington). In same time Communist Party of Finland was legalised, and People's Democratic League of Finland (political party, sister party of the communist party) was re-created (CPF acted all those years since 1918 as underground party till 1945). And People's Democratic League became one of most biggest parties immediately - partially because lot of subsections of Social Democratic party abandoned SDP and joined PDLF as soon as it was possible. PDLF was more radical in goals than SDP which came more pro-west while PDLF were more clearly trying achieve socialism in Finland and had good relations with USSR (according Finnish intelligence agency SuPo, it was only major party in cold war era which never contacted to KGB - because they contacted directly communist party of USSR, and they never needed ask anything from KGB).
Generally situation was very strongly changed: far right was illegalaised, while far left was re-legalised, but more than that, USSR, winner of WWII with very strong and capable army was next to Finland. Finnish leadership knew that while maybe in propaganda "Finland can defeat Russia if needed" in reality that is not really possible. Peaceful living next to USSR was only option - or only option which did not include "game over". This also meant that there is no possibility to harsh socialist or communists in Finland. There was lot of struggle to minimize their wins, but not really attempt to prevent or start counter attack, since pushing too hard against socialists and communists in Finland, next to Leningrad, would endanger relations with USSR.
In 1958 Finland were paid war penalty to Russia, and the allied commission were already leaved Finland. Socialists were in opposition, while government tried fiscal emergency tactics, demanding that economy of Finland is in crisis and they need cut those rare social benefits what existed (like benefits for families which father were died or invalidated during the war). People's Democratic League mobilised its members and started spread news and views of the party (this included cases where members of the party hitchhiked to reach every village and city to go to speak people living in them). This empowered people, leading strongering waves of labour strikes and eventually general strike against government, but also in next elections People's Democratic League became biggest political party in Finland. They still were not accepted to become part of government, but even from opposition they managed to force government to change their politics and even start build first parts of welfare state.
In 1968 thing change. There is so called "People's Frontier government" where SDP, PDLF together with petty bourgeoisie party "Agrarian League" (today known as "Central party") and some other smaller parties. There is lot of things, in one hand this government established economic support from state to political parties: ever since political parties part of parliament in Finland get money from state. This was meant to help political left against bourgeoisie parties which get money from rich people. But in reality, with time, it made existing parties lazy to ask people to help them and be part of their activity, while in other hand: support is only for those who succeeded in previous elections, meaning that new parties are hard time to be created if they are not created by rich people. Then there was situation where state had economic troubles, and leftist leaded country ended use capitalistic ways to deal with problem. And USSR involved in "Spring of Prague", which was very very unpopular move among Finnish socialists and communists. Actually, People's Democratic League and its sister party Communist Party of Finland were only parties in Finland which publicly denounced USSR from this actions. Lot of people lost trust on USSR, but also to Finnish political left on their actions on domestic politics. Next elections political left collapsed, losing more support than even before in history, and kept losing almost every elections during 70's and 80's.
In 90's People's Democratic League of Finland, Communist party of Finland, and several other parties are replaced by new party known as "Left Alliance", USSR vanished just months after that. PDLF been in this point lost more than half of their support from 50's or 60's, having now under 10% of support. SDP is now much bigger but still not as popular as in past. In 1995 parliament elections both parties win big time, first elections since end of USSR and political left rose first time in level what they were in 70's or early 50's. Finland is in economic crisis: biggest trade partner disappeared and were replaced by Yeltsin's bankrupted Russia. SDP forms "rainbow government", almost all political parties are part of it, including all political left, green party and pro-Washington National Coalition party. And they start big cuts on welfare system. Political left, both, Left Alliance and SDP lose not only what they won in last elections, but drop even smaller than that. People again lose trust on them. And in 2008 global crisis, political left drop to become even weaker than in 1930's when majority of left was illegal. And we are now in this situation. Both, SDP and Left Alliance never in history been so weak than in 2010's and 2020's. Now they are again in government, and may end joining NATO...
What you can learn from Finnish history: Finnish welfare system was not created because some one had plan "let's make this kind of social democratic system". It is result of political struggle in situation where political right did not had possibility to use most dirtiest tricks against political left in fear of soviet Red Army. Political left rise when political parties go among people and attract them to become part of movement, but lose their support every time they do right wing politics no matter for what reason or excuse. For owning class, welfare system was just "necessary evil" as long as there were threat to lose everything: "let's give them bigger slice of cake so that they do not take whole bakery". And now, when there is no more threat, there is no more need to allow welfare exist, and slow dismantling and decay of system is been in way from 90's. Since political left do not challenge capitalism any more, (re-legalised) far right is now only rising power when both, political left and right lose support.
In the end, Finland never been any kind of socialism, but just capitalistic nation with some pro-people structures. By core, Finland never been anything but capitalistic nation. Nordic system is not option for world revolution. It is just nicer way to oppress colonised regions and share it with majority of citizens of own nation. Not even with all: homelessness still exist in Finland, and roughly one of fifth of population lives in poverty today (numbers change based on how to calculate them. Finland love use system what tells number to be much smaller than other ways to calculate..). For fifth of Finnish population, 1990's economic crisis never ended.
Your description of Finnish history is correct. I should add that Finland's integration into EU imperialism has played an important role as well. I believe this process started with the 1973 EEC treaty. For decades now, Finnish corporations and the state have been able make superprofits in semicolonial countries and then "buy off" Finnish workers with some extra money and services. This has led to rampant national chauvinism and opportunism among workers; this is just what Lenin said about the nature of imperialism.
Do you know any informative websites about your people's struggles against logging, mining and different projects happening in Lapland? Note: links aren't allowed.
@@henrirauhala4335 No I don't know. Maybe such exist, but mostly people in north like to talk, not so much write (to internet). But also, there is lot of people who still fear that they are punished to stand against. Lot of people - still living people - were punished in schools to use their native language or behave according their own culture. I do not think they went so far as in Canada, that people were killed and buried under schools, but similar ways happen otherwise. Finland for example, could still apologise from those people - they are still alive. But they choose not.
One problem in case of Finland is Sámi parliament. It accept only small group of Sámi people as it's members... but in same time, it does not really have de facto power to anything. I would see whole parliament just "divide and conquer tactics", but my personal view is that Finns (oligarchs) are not clever enough to plan such, it is just so poor design together with "opportunity makes thief" what created mechanism what divides us in order to make organised fight against Finns.
---
What you said about Finland, I generally agree with it.
@@fallenswan1670 Finland should formally apologize your elders, like Sweden and Norway have done over 20 years ago. Nevertheless, Sámi resistance and organizing must continue, because the push for capitalist expansion in Lapland won't end with apologies. The state always finds ways to punish dissent, but what is the alternative to standing up? I believe it's the gradual eradication of Sámi culture.
It's interesting what you said about the Sámi parliament. It seems that most members of the parliament are collaborators for the Finnish bourgeoisie. However, this doesn't yet mean that no progress towards Sámi self-determination could happen within the current system. It comes down to class struggle. We also need to get the Finnish working class onto the side of the Sámi people.
@@henrirauhala4335 -"[...] because the push for capitalist expansion in Lapland won't end with apologies."
-That is true. I some times "sketching" constitution for Lapland or Southern Lapland. What kind of rules would be there..? It is not easy job... one task is to be good as constitution, but other task is also be such that it can be "sold" for people. I think rise up against Finland, taking power for decisions to Lapland would be next step. Unite people in Lapland, both Sámi people and Laplandiers. Both feel betrayed by Helsinki (or Brussels).
-" It seems that most members of the parliament are collaborators for the Finnish bourgeoisie."
-Yes, and something like 5 persons in Sámi parliament decide who can become person with voting right for the parliament. Meaning, they can manipulate election results by choosing who can vote - and because of that few families (barely) keep their power in the parliament over others, since they do not accept but only small fragmentation of Sámi population to there. I never even applied for become with voting right for the parliament, since I do not believe in that institution at all.
-"It comes down to class struggle. We also need to get the Finnish working class onto the side of the Sámi people."
-Yes, but I think Laplandiers would be in this point better than Finns, since for most of Finns Sámi people are exotic distant culture far away from their homes - they do not know really anything about Sámi people. Also, Finnish working class is at moment "lost themselves", not knowing what to do, what to try to reach, etc. Also, Lapland been always more "red" than most of rest of Republic of Finland.
(For anyone who do not know what is "Laplandier": Laplandiers are people who are offspring of Finnish (or any other culture or ethnic group) who moved to live in Lapland, and therefore mixed their culture with Sámi culture by adopting some ways of thinking or behave from Sámi culture or Sámi way of life. There is no exact definition, but pretty much everyone who born in Lapland and lived their childhood there and/or most of their lives there are "Laplandiers". It is mix of cultures. You are not purely this or that culture. You may have Finnish language as first language, but you may use grammatic from Swedish or Sámi languages even if you do not even know those languages, etc. And you have more indigenous relation for earth, or mix of indigenous and capitalist view for nature, without having clearly one or other mindset in this. Overwhelming majority of population of Lapland is "Laplandiers".)
The Danish govt is fascist right now and has been for 30years or more. They have been plundering the poor all that time, the invalid, the sick, the week who can't fight back.
Stop talking rubbish are you american
Brilliant interview
Thank you, Rhania. I don't know you, but since the palestine crisis, I have followed your channel and listened to a bunch of talks. This is very eye-opening, and I feel good. I'm from Korea. The myth of Scandinavian countries being the best in welfare, and the happiest countries, best women's rights and whatnot, I always felt my country is inferior to theirs. But I don't see the world that way any more. This Palestine massacre made me open my eyes the biggest
I think I understand why that Swedish girl I spoke to the other day was such a right winger, this video was a helpful explanation.
She probably sees herself as liberal?
@@ColtraneTaylor Thats funny, because we have a party here called "The liberals" and they are a carbon copy of the Democratic Party in the US. My opinion is that they are the most right wing party and not as convention say that the SD (Swedish Democrats) are way out right. SD if really look at it neutrally is grounded in the center, mostly focused on conservative values.
What is the name of the scholar you mention at 00:30? I hear "Emmanuel Lawerstene" or something like that, but there's no such person - I want to look him up
Super interesting perspective to absorb. Thank you
Great topic 👍 Thanks Rania.
interesting! not sure I agree with his take on Olof Palme but I was disappointed that Torkil didn't talk about the plight of the Sami people! one can't talk about setter colonialism, the haves and have nots, the myth of socialism and tolerance in the Nordic countries and the consent of imperialism the Danes,Swedes and Noway and fourth engage in without discussing the criminally overlooked and under reported persecution of the Sami people in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, etc.
Are the Sami a separate from other Europeans?
@@grahamt5924 well the Sami are an Indigenous people to what they call Sampi which is Norway, Sweden, and Finland as well as the Kola Peninsula of Russia. hard to trace the exact ethnic origin but mostly their origin was the Finns and apparently early Sami language was from what I could gather on google "Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic language family with Finns, Karelians, and Estonians as their closest linguistic neighbors". But yes they are considered an Indigenous people and sadly like those of Turtle Island, Australia and Torres Strait Islanders, Indigenous Brazilians, and to an extent the Maori of New Zealand, their history has been one of brutal persecution, cruel assimilation policies, dispossession and ongoing marginalization.
Sami people aren’t indigenous to Denmark. However, Denmarks treatment of Greenlandic people has many similarities with the rest of Scandinavian countries’ treatment of Sami people, both historically and today.
@@nathanara8051 respectfully will disagree but please do tell me more about the mistreatment of Greelandic at the hands of the Danes, I'm interested to know.
@@Yourismouter the Danish authorities have launched campaigns to regulate the Greenlandic population. Between 1966 and 1970, approximately 4,500 Greenlandic women and girls had IUDs placed on them, or one of two fertile women at the time. The campaign is said to have continued beyond 1975. The full scope of the case is still not fully fleshed out, and contains dark figures due to the secretive nature of the campaigns.
turning human beings into numbers rarely conveys the weight of the issue. For more testimonies pertaining to the human experience, read about the accounts of women like Naja Lyberth, Inge Thomassen, Arnannguaq Poulsen, and several more that are publicly available on the internet.
Best of best journalism! Rania is extraordinary! Her questions, the experts and politicians she chooses, her knowledge and radicalism 👋👋👋💥💖🌹✊✊✊😎!!
Where can Torkil's books be purchased?
As far as those mysterious deaths, i smell Dulles bros shenanigans.
Very informative.
Great talk!
This is the only endorsement I care about.
You know what is crazy is I used to study svenska from 11 till 16 before moving to 中文 never thought I would hear anyone talk about the Scandinavian countries it tends to be ignored
I assume this is the old red guard bandit from
"Blekingegadeligan".
Yes an criminel komunist.
@SuperDflower that seems to have been why we took so much time to embrace agriculture even though we knew about it for millenia... 👀
Hello from Sweden, funny that you are talking about Sweden and Denmark, I myself am from Finland and born there but live in Sweden 🙂
How strong is the Left and socialism in Sweden?
@@Theodorus5 not strong , but it depends on the perspective, compared to the US everything is seen as "far left" 😂
@@melchoraslez1689 True true, if the US democrats were to be projected over of the Swedish political landscape they would be so far out right that it would blur out any differences on our parties side.
Rania this man is gold!!
We need more voices like Mr. Lauesen! The left has been absolutely buried and we need to keep these ideas present. Historical dialectic with absolute clarity and receipts. No matter what you think of the Blekingegade Group.
Glad to see this topic mentioned.
Gurl this blew me away! Thank you so much. Will be researching ALL Scandinavian socialists with gusto now! 🙂
Research what the Zulus did to Britons now you on it, and what Aungrebzeb did to indians, as well as anything else history has to offer..
You will find the small countries in north haven't done as much damage as they are portrayed..
Because of a former terrorist and convicted police murder rambling on YT?
LOL, try education instead.
@@niklashansen5289 hold kæft
In the days of Olaf Palme Sweden was a refuge for young Americans who fled from the draft as well as military deserters.
Olaf Palme was allso anti apartheid.
I guess that's why he "died" so suddenly.
"IF we had access to all the weapons we need, which our partners have and which are comparable to the weapons used by the Russians Federation, we would have already ended this war."
- Vlodymyr Zelensky President of Ukraine, in a video interview, reported on 3 May 2022 by The Times Of London.
"Everything that's being shipped into Ukraine today, of course, is coming out of stockpiles, either at DOD or from NATO allies, and that's all great news. Eventually we'll have to replenish it and we will see a benefit to the business ..."
- RAYTHEON CEO Greg Hayes
Sweden does not surprise me being the 51st state Denmark surprised me I thought they were more rational.
Lenin being tragically correct on a friday, we love to see it.
I am watching this in March 2024. Laureen is spot on regarding Sweden and Finland joining NATO and the underlying feeling that the US is "protecting" their prosperity (liberal way of life). He also got France and Germany down pat.
What I find fascinating is that people in Scandinavia still perceive Russia as a threat to them. Russia has adopted market economy and are only "Putin away" from embracing liberalism fully. Russia isn´t really a bogey.... But is a strongly held perspective in Scandinavia that we live in a duality and that the US is "right". That indoctrination is strong.
Their main reason for joining is the escalating situation around the North Pole where both nations become strategically relevant for World powers.
good work, thanks
Also the Netherlands was a Colonial Power via the Dutch East India Company, having their own military, hiring privateers, and mercenaries.
A slightly twisted but interesting take on Sweden and the Nordic countries. Some misconceptions/errors. There were about 1 million Sweden moving to US between 1850 to 1950. Ingvar Kamprad made a mistake as a youngster when he supported the Nazis, and it has not been proven that he had any Nazi connections after ww2. Sweden traded with both Germany and UK during ww2. And the trade with Germany in the last years of ww2 was probably very limited. Germany was allowed to transfer unarmed troops through Sweden to Northern Norway after the main resistance by the Norwegians had subsided. Sweden had a very weak military force at the time and had to make some koncessions to avoid being occupied. But there were no military bases to my knowledge except some warehouses for goods and places for reloading troops and goods. Dag Hammarsköld was balancing between US and USSR. Perhaps he was not supporting Lumumba but he was not on the side of Katanga, on the contrary UN was more or less in war with Katanga (I knew someone who worked for UN and was imprisoned in Katanga). Olof Palme was probably more US friendly in reality than he displayed in his speaches, and a personal friend to the movie star Paul Newman. Sweden had secret military agreements with US and UK during the Cold War that he must have been involved in. But I strongly doubt that he was a CIA source. And so on... It becomes difficult to make an accurate analysis of things when there are so many errors in the facts that you rely on.
His take on China is problematic, an issue reccurent in the thinking of many western leftists, but otherwise nice talk.
What's his take? Is it mentioned in this video?
Predatory capitalists as we see with neighbors of East Asia and the US.
People should take note that even the early days of the USSR, Lenin did turned to foreign capital in the New Economic Policy (NEP) to catch up in the industrialization race with the West and Japan.
Deng Xiaoping's China after the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) gave rise to the reform and opening-up policies.
Can you provide a timestamp for his take on China?
Great content
Wow!! This is amazing.
Yep, just like Samir Amin. The true voice of the Global South.
Very interesting indeed. Thank you.
3rd world countries couldn't live like they do without us either. Their systems are dependent on our technological development and company structures & investments.
If all European wealth comes from colonialism, why are Spain and Portugal so poor compared to Sweden and Ireland?
Thank this guest for calling out more Bernie lies. Some of us tried to tell his acolytes the truth but all we got was how great the wages were at Danish McDonalds...fools!
Việt Nam after Saigon fall 1975 they had a real communist/socialists systems but since the U.S embargo on Vietnam eventually lifted in February 1994 and the Vietnam government has formal normalization of US - VN diplomatic relations took place 1995. In the early 1980s Vietnam leadership did adopt capitalism so called "a market economy with socialists orientation" its commitment development of socialists economy with its Đổi mới reforms. Since then every things had changed. Outside can see how dynamic and fast growing economy in Vietnam. But can't see well how the real systems. No human rights, no free education, no public health, no freedom of speech. The gap between rich and poor increasing. One can own 7 houses and another no place to live. In education systems doctrine and brainwashing. Memories all lessons from their tutor without questions or reasoning. Death penalty for all crimes. Prisons hundreds of dissenter or exile overseas. Corruption is a major problem in this country. Almost of children of former high positions in the government studied and lived in US or others countries. The famous Ho Chi Minh trail had destroyed and most precious trees had beeb cut down. And destroyed almost forests. Heavy pollution everywhere. People don't have the basics dignity life. So cant says its socialists or communist systems
109k.
Congratulations.
Sweden was never imperialist. Nor was Norway or really Denmark.
1:35:11
The guest needs to update his understanding of Russian oligarchs, which Putin dealt with by force early on. "You can keep your money if you take no part in politics, or the state will crush you". The oligarchs in the US probably has a lot more power.
Then guest is really confused by comparing people supporting Trump for whatever reason, could be because of their true dislike of Hillary. Comparing them to extreme far right nationalists/Nazis in Ukraine is in NO way shape or form fair or reasonable. It's like they would say "Torkil Lauesen" is a Stalin copycat.
"He buzzes like a fridge, he's like a detoned radio"
Great to hear from an old Danish revolutionary!
Thanks for info
Good discussion 🎉
His 'self-criticism' as a Scandinavian is commendable, but I believe he was wrong about Pio and Hammarskjöld. About Pio's White City, all sources I find give a different explanation for the name having nothing to do with race, and Pio wasn't 'successful in real estate', but died in poverty. About Hammarskjöld, he was at least anti-colonialist enough to be assassinated by the colonialists. So I think Lauesen has become too emotionally invested in his criticism of the Nordics 'from the left' to remain consistently objective and reliable in his presentation of the facts. But he was doubtlessly right about a lot of things, too.
Go Rania!
And Denmark still colonies Greenland
No kidding. Most everyone knows this, I am a product of Dutch Colonialism in what is now New York State.
how do you think any of the western european 'democracies' have been surfing the affluenza wave all these years ...
productivity of labor. it's 4x what it was in 1970 and yet the workers in usa have even less than then.
Great insight into the systems that rule the world, Great work into the beginning to where we're at.The scandinavian system of governance is more human than the rest.