Why Did Finland Leave Sweden? As depicted in this excellent long-running web comic, the typical Swede is seen as rich, arrogant, and tech-savvy. References:[1] Source[2] Source[3] Source[4] Source[5] Source[6] Source[7] Source[8] Source[9] Source. Others disagree and hold that Norwegians raise their children the same as Danes and Swedes do. Nordic countries like Finland and Norway may regularly come out on top of world happiness indexes for wellbeing year-on-year - but new research shows the happiness is far from universal. Denmark, Sweden and Norway have eased or eliminated all of their COVID-19 related restrictions, but posts falsely claiming this means their governments stopped believing in the pandemic or . [7], In the early 16th-century, the union began to show signs of fraying. Finland's concerns have been largely practical: it shares an 810-mile (1,300km) border with Russia, declared independence in 1917 after more than a century of rule by Moscow, and its army twice. Norwegians, Swedes, and Danes all get along very well. Social media, in particular, has given endless opportunities for people to form like-minded communities and discuss important issues. We want to hear from you. In fact, Erdogan has already blocked an early attempt by NATO to fast-track Finland and Sweden's applications, saying their membership would make the alliance "a place where representatives of terrorist organizations are concentrated.". Photograph: AFP/Getty Images, Finns having a quiet drink Photograph: Martti Kainulainen/REX, A car burning after riots in Stockholm in 2013. What is considered rude in one country may not be considered rude in another one. Centuries ago, there most certainly was hatred between the nations of Denmark and Sweden, as evidenced by the dozens of wars fought between them. As we reported in a fact-check comparing Sweden with Italy, Spain and the . The end of the Kalmar Union also marked the beginning of a tumultuous period that saw Denmark and Sweden engage in numerous bloody conflicts with the aim of achieving supremacy over the strategically important Baltic Sea region. Most people are really in denial.". At the same time, Foreign Minister Mevlt avuolu said both countries must provide. As Norwegian anthropologist Thomas Hylland Eriksen put it to me when I visited his office in Oslo University: "We've always been used to thinking of ourselves as part of the solution, and with the oil we suddenly became part of the problem. 17 May 2022. The Nordics are best buddies today. But public opinion in Finland and Sweden suggests that he has driven them into NATO's arms. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. It's all over a tiny group of islands, believe it or not. 11 Really Good Reasons Why You Should Visit land, https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/, http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/images/Culture_Map_2017_conclusive.png, http://www.fallintofinland.com/culture/how-to-communicate-with-a-finn/, http://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/mondays_papers_mp_absences_athletes_drinking_biathlon_bronze_norovirus_hunt/9469182, https://www.infopankki.fi/en/living-in-finland/finnish-and-swedish/finnish-online. Now modern historians have done pretty good job demolishing these old myths but unfortunately most people don't read history books so they mindlessly parrot these old myths. Yet each country wants to beat the others, for example, in the medal count at the Winter Olympics. 'Finland and Sweden should not base their security on damaging the security of other countries and their accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face some military and political consequences,' foreign affairs spokeswoman Maria . Polls show public support for Nato membership has trebled to about 75% in Finland and surged to about 60% in Sweden. They're not big on chat. Their state-run alcohol monopoly stores, the dreaded Systembolaget, were described by Susan Sontag as "part funeral parlour, part back-room abortionist". [1] But it has so many exciting places that deciding which area to visit can be challenging. In 2020, the Sweden Democrats vetoed the rule of law conditionality for accessing EU funds and thereby cosied up to Poland and Hungary. Are Norwegians and Swedes the Same People? In other regional conflicts around the world, present-day racial, political, and social tensions can be traced back thousands of years, not just hundreds like in Scandinavia. Swedish foreign minister: We won't be secure without NATO membership, Sweden and Finland want to join NATO. Some in the region believe Norwegians raise their children differently than others and instill in them a national pride that may not necessarily have implications for neighboring people groups, but it sometimes results in such perceptions. Some Norwegians have negative views towards their neighbors, similar to adjacent countries in other regions of the world because past hostilities sometimes result in negative present-day stereotypes. [8]. As of 2022, NATO has expanded to let in three former Soviet states and all of the former Warsaw Pact countries. Take the Danes, for instance. Norway's strong social security net, which includes generous parental leave policies, is a key reason the country of just over 5 million people is consistently rated one of the best places in the world to live. Swedens ruling Social Democrats have been split on the issue and are holding an internal consultation, with a decision also due on Sunday. Though 2013 saw a record number of asylum applications to Norway, it granted asylum to fewer than half of them (around 5,000 people), a third of the number that less wealthy Sweden admits (Sweden accepted over 9,000 from Syria alone). The Vikings are often perceived as ultraviolent people whose ruthless ways terrorized all of Northern Europe during the Middle Ages. link to 5 Great Places To Stay in Iceland. This perception is subjective, however, and difficult to measure through polling, reporting, or data analyses. While the figures may seem stark, it is in isolation in some of the happiest - overall - countries on earth. Finlands president, prime minister and senior cabinet ministers will meet on Sunday to make a formal decision on submitting an application. The causes of the Scandinavia's states wealth are numerous and complex. (Also see Do People Still Practice the Norse Religion Today? Don't worry man, nobody hates Sweden, it's just sibling rivalry. Russia has threatened its close Arctic neighbours Sweden and Finland with 'military consequences' if they join NATO. Television in Denmark is rubbish, Finnish men like a drink and Sweden is not exactly a model of democracy. As Daron Acemoglu, an eminent economist at MIT, wrote in 2013: In our. We need not detain ourselves here too long. The historic move set to be . Sweden and Finland are set formally to end decades of neutrality and join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in a historic breakthrough for the alliance that deals a blow to Russian. or the past few years the world has been in thrall to all things Nordic (for which purpose we must of course add Iceland and Finland to the Viking nations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden). But do some people living today still have resentment and hold negative views about a neighboring people group due to conflicts that happened centuries ago? Back in Spring, as the number of infections skyrocketed around the world, the Finnish government reacted promptly and imposed a two-month long lockdown. They are very pleased to be told they did not." Kurds celebrate to show their support for the independence referendum in Duhok, Iraq, September 26, 2017. "Swedes seem not to 'feel as strongly' as certain other people", Daun writes in his excellent book, Swedish Mentality. For example when the US came and made that whole ASAP Rocky bullshit, the Danish media was all over the place, defending Sweden and condemning America. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Norway the nice side, at least. A Division of NBCUniversal. If, as a headline in this paper once claimed, it is "the most successful society the world has ever seen", why aren't more of you dreaming of "a little place" in Ume? Norway and Sweden have a very long history together. Icelands epic landscapes draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Also see Why Do Doors Open Outwards in Sweden? So you know, only we can criticize each other, and if other countries try it, they need to shut up. This gesture was repeated when members of the Sweden Democrats abstained in the European Parliament resolution condemning Hungary's controversial LGBTIQ law. Ask the Danes how they feel about their neighbors to the northeast, and the Swedes would likely be described as being stiff, overly reserved, and downright unfriendly. Centuries ago, there most certainly was hatred between the nations of Denmark and Sweden, as evidenced by the dozens of wars fought between them. Perceived tension may be due to competition and rivalry that is not hate-based. Collectively, Norwegians dont hate Swedes and Danes. Are there individual or fringe exceptions to this general fact? 3: UK Vs Argentina. So what are other stereotypes people have about Scandinavians? Norway saw a 40% increase over the five-year-period of young people seeking help for mental health difficulties. Finnish Member of Parliament Paivi Rasanen and . For Hakki Akil, a former Turkish ambassador, the Turkish perspective is "very simple. See Do Swedes Actually Like Surstromming? Sweden and Finland have also said they will not approve the repatriation of 33 people that Turkey has accused of links to terrorism. And since people far away might not understand the difference, it needs to be marked more thoroughly. 2023 BBC. Whether it is Denmark's happiness, its restaurants, or TV dramas; Sweden's gender equality, crime novels and retail giants; Finland's schools; Norway's oil wealth and weird songs about foxes;. Its health service is buckling too. Everyone understands that Finland is not Russian, despite being part of the Russian Empire for 108 years. This level only worsened in the age bracket of 80 or above - a group more affected by issues like illness. [1] But it has so many exciting places that deciding which area to visit can be challenging. I think a lot of the reason Sweden being targetted by its neighbours can be attributed to simple facts: Sweden being the immediate Nordic neighbour of Denmark/Norway/Finland, Sweden being the largest country in the Nordics. I am very fond of the Finns, a most pragmatic, redoubtable people with a Sahara-dry sense of humour. Its common security guarantee is based on article 5 of the treaty, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all and commits members to defend each other in the event of armed aggression. Generally, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden have a strong regional connection, which is marked by a strong economy, shared social values, and several land and water-use agreements. I have contributed to the relentless Tetris shower of print columns on the wonders of Scandinavia myself over the years but now I say: enough! Sweden denies this. I met with ke Daun, Sweden's most venerable ethnologist. See Why Do Some Icelandic People Look Asian? We exists to inform people about the people, culture, and history of Northern Europe. True, they claim to be the happiest people in the world, but why no mention of the fact they are second only to Iceland when it comes to consuming anti- depressants? The Danes are aggressively jingoistic, waving their red-and-white dannebrog at the slightest provocation. In other places, people prefer not to touch at all. While probably done in good fun and certainly entertaining, this very public exchange of barbs and ribbing does validate the notion that the rivalry between the Danes and Swedes, while certainly not rising to the level of centuries past, does still exist. The facts this relationship lies on are the long common history of domination by Sweden. Perhaps the Danes' dirtiest secret is that, according to a 2012 report from the Worldwide Fund for Nature, they have the fourth largest per capita ecological footprint in the world. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Perhaps the current state of relations between the people of Denmark and their counterparts in Sweden is best epitomized by hostilities that erupted on social media between official government Twitter accounts managed by the Danish Foreign Ministry on one side and the Swedish Communications Unit on the other. I pointed out that Sweden was one of the most bloodthirsty nations on earth for much of the last millennium. To say that Denmark and Sweden are historical rivals would be a vast understatement when looking at the number of conflicts between these two Scandinavian countries. Russia has repeatedly warned Finland and Sweden against joining Nato, saying the serious military and political consequences of such a move would oblige it to take retaliatory steps to restore military balance by strengthening its defences in the Baltic, including by deploying nuclear weapons. Anything I say about the Swedes will pale in comparison to their own excoriating self-image. It could be economic as well. The claim that Denmark is the EU's largest oil exporter was based on out-of-date information and has been removed. Swedish benefits are the best in the world Working in Sweden gives you a boat load of holidays. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is a defensive military alliance formed in 1949 by 12 countries including the US, UK and France to counter the threat of postwar Soviet Russian expansion in Europe. Among the dissenters in the Monday vote were some of the party's furthest-right members, including Reps . Yet, it is sometimes the case that neighboring countries, though their people can be similar, have more conflict with each other, not less. These societies function well for those who conform to the collective median, but they aren't much fun for tall poppies. And if you think a move across the North Sea would help you escape the paedophiles, racists, crooks and tax-dodging corporations one reads about in the British media on a daily basis, I'm afraid I must disabuse you of that too. It may be no surprise to hear that Northern Europe is top of the charts in SDGs with Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Austria as the top sustainable countries leading the way in creating a more sustainable world. Icelands epic landscapes draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Presumably the correlative of this is that Denmark has the best public services? The relationship between Denmark and Sweden and their respective constituents is complex, difficult to define, and at times, marked by seemingly childish and petty behavior. Sweden, however, remained the regional outlier for more than a century. Underlying the tension between Turkey and Sweden is how each country defines "terrorist," says Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. Btw, there was a similar thread in r/Nordiccountries recently: r/Nordiccountries/comments/jqwqxt/why_do_nordic_countries_citizens_seem_to_dislike/. Spread out between Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, the Kurds have been heavily persecuted, marginalized and even been victims of genocide in the counties where they live see Saddam Hussein's chemical gas attacks that killed nearly 200,000 Kurds in Iraq in the late 1980s. Actually, I have lived in Denmark on and off for about a decade, because my wife's work is here (and she's Danish). [1]. Apparently, crying at funerals is frowned upon and "remembered long afterwards". Since the Treaty of Copenhagen, there havent been significant problems between the three Scandinavian countries that have reached the extremes of military conflict. 3. A report authored by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen aims to provide a more nuanced picture of life in the Nordic nations - suggesting their reputations as utopias for happiness are masking significant problems for some parts of the population, especially young people. 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