KEY POINTS
- Sweden is often viewed as a liberal utopia in Europe, known for its stable economy, high quality of life, and open and progressive society.
- But its center-right coalition government — which is propped up by the nationalist and right-wing Sweden Democrats party — has adopted an increasingly restrictive stance on immigration.
- The country is trumpeting its lower numbers of immigrants, but economists say the economic benefits are debatable, with growth and productivity among the factors to consider.
Having lived and worked in several countries, I think the concept of Jantelagen is rooted in the Protestant Reformation more than it being a specifically Nordic thing. Not only does it fit well with the general premise of the Protestant worldview, all countries that were early converts seem to have ingrained that particular perspective (under various names) in their collective cultures.