Life, customs and philosophy of Swedish people

Introduction

Swedes are neurotic about punctuality, agendas and time tables. Notably, we use a number of stock phrases that are significant for this way of thinking e.g. "Time is money" or "Don't waste time". It is considered very disrespectful to be late both professionally and privately. If you are late, do call and let the waiting person(s) know and you will be easily forgiven. Always apologize if you are late.There is something called the "academic quarter of an hour". That means if you are going to someone's home you may be fifteen minutes late – at the very most. If a plane or bus is supposed to leave at a set time, Swedes get very frustrated if kept waiting. There are however, situations when we expect to be kept waiting, such as doctor's or dentist's appointments.

CheersSwedish drinking habits are quite different than those of other people. Already in 1630 a Frenchman visiting Stockholm complained about the Swedes' drinking habits. Not only, do they get drunk, but they make innumerable toasts and make longwinded speeches to accompany them, he said. The following funny story told to me by the Princess Lilian also depicts how foreigners may view the Swede's drinking and speechmaking. A Frenchmen, a Swede and a Norwegian were sentenced to death and the day before the execution they were granted their last wishes. The Frenchman asked for a three course meal followed by a cigar. The Swede asked for a dinner and also wanted to make a speech. The Norwegian's last wish was to be executed before the Swede began his speech.

Family patternsChildren start school at six and there is daycare for everyone before that to enable parents to work. The median is 2.1 children per family, which is rather high, actually one of the highest birthrates in Europe. Several generations in the same household is uncommon in Sweden. Children leave the home in their late teens or early twenties and usually live alone for a few years before starting their own families. The result is of course, that young Swedish families cannot rely on the help and support from their parents to the same extent and of course the opposite situation applies for the older generation when their needs increase.Old people have the option to live in adapted apartments with limited help or gradual steps toward an old peoples home. It is not expected or demanded that children take care of their elders. As the fiscal climate tightens this may change.

Gender roles and equalityMost women in Sweden work outside the home both before and after marriage. They also continue working after having children, but after a maternity leave of 12-18 months. Not only is this because families need a dual income to survive, but it is also considered a woman's right for self fulfillment. Consequently, men are expected to do a larger burden of the work within the home and to be equally responsible for child rearing. However, most will agree that the domestic chores still largely fall under the woman's domain. It is also not unusual that mothers of young children engage in part time work in order to spend more time with their children. When the children are ill it is also more common for the mothers to stay home to care for them. This is often explained by the fact that the man is the primary breadwinner in the family and his day of partly lost income influences the family to a larger extent. Some traditional gestures are still upheld. For example, men often open doors for women and let them enter first. Men propose marriage even though it is also often a common decision between the two parties without involvement from the families.

Getting friendly with the localsThe effort will most likely be on your part. Moving to a new country or just a new city is usually connected with a lonely beginning. You have to make an effort to meet people and become part of their everyday lives. A few hints on how to do it in Stockholm are:• Take a class at one of the schools. Evening classes are available for those who work.• Use your children and meet other parents when you leave and pick up your child at school or activities.• Go to the gym. Choose a nice one where people stay around afterwards.• Any sports activity that you like. At the tennis, squash centers or golf course, they can usually pair you off with someone if you ask them. • Invite people to your home or to do things.• Find common interests and engage in them with other interested people. • Go out to bars and restaurants and meet people.• Contact the local international clubs.• Find out who else from your country or even city lives here. It is always easier to become friends with your nationals when you are abroad.

If you are invited to someone's home or a partyIf the invitation is in writing you are expected to reply in writing. If you are invited in person or by telephone you can accept or decline right away or call back with an answer. Also, be sure to check if there is a dress code. If the event is in a home ask for the door code.• When you are invited to someone's home, do ask if the invitation is extended to your children or pets. If, the host/hostess have arranged for a baby-sitter they will not expect other children or pets as guests.• Swedes often bring a gift when going to someone's home. Flowers or wine are appreciated gifts. If you have something from your own country, most people will appreciate that. • Punctuality is a virtue. Seven o'clock means seven o'clock if you are invited for dinner. Chances are that the food is almost on the table. Arriving late often means inconveniencing the host/hostess.• For table seating at informal affairs, usually the host/hostess will tell you where they want you to sit. On more formal occasions there will be a table seating plan at the door and/or name tags at each seat. If there is a table seating plan the man finds the lady on his right and escorts her to the table. Only during the engagement period do couples sit next to one another, otherwise you will be assigned to a dinner companion. You are expected to make small talk throughout the meal and dance the first dance with your dinner companion. • The meal is usually commenced by the host/hostess welcoming everyone and toasting. Don't drink anything but water before the first toast is made. When there are less than 8 people don't eat before the host/hostess has taken the first bite or asked you to begin. When toasting you should pick up your glass and try to look everyone in the eye (if you are less than 8 people at the table), then take a sip and afterwards again make eye contact with everyone before putting down your glass.• The person sitting on the left of the hostess will make a thank you speech during dessert.• If coffee is taken in a different room, stay with your dinner companion. Men usually bring women coffee.• Call or write and thank the host/hostess within ten days. Try to reciprocate by inviting them to something.• People rarely invite you to dinner twice in a row, but wait for you to return their invitation by arranging something. Also look under Shoes indoors.

PetsSwedes are fond of their animals. Cats and dogs are treated as family and live inside the home. However, there are regulations for how to keep your pet . They must not make noise that disturbs the neighbors. When taking your dog for walks you are requested to pick up your animal's disposal and bring to a garbage bin. You may not hit your animal. The pet should get the necessary shots for various diseases. Name tags with address and phone numbers are helpful if the animal strays. It is fairly uncommon to neuter your dogs while it is more commonplace with cats. Dogs must be on a leash during the period March 1 through August 20. For more information about regulations, good exercise areas and parks to walk dogs call Stockholm's Kommun and order the book "Hund i Stockholm".Professional identitySwedes identify themselves largely with their professions. One of the first questions asked a new acquaintance is: "What do you do for a living"? It is also common to say I am a computer consultant, rather than I work as a computer consultant. This has created problems as the rate of unemployment has become higher. Status is closely connected with a person's choice of profession not age, whom you are related to, personality or other characteristics. However, not only high status professions render respect, a job well done in any area is well looked upon.

ReligionThe Swedish state religion is Protestant Lutheran. We have freedom of religious expression as long as it does not violate other laws. Our social lives are more often than not disconnected from any involvement with a church or denomination. The state and the church will be formally separated in 1998. Although Swedes don't go to church, a great deal of morals and ethics still have its platform based on the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule. 

SocializingSwedes like to socialize at home. Our restaurant and pub habits are not quite as developed as in other countries. Social patterns differ greatly depending on the season. We are much more outgoing in the summers and are more willing to do things in the middle of the week. This can be attributed to the amazing long, light evenings and that during school year many are enrolled in evening classes. We like to plan our socializing and don't like surprise visits. Among young people it is quite ordinary to bring different ingredients, pay for your portion of the dinner, or even each pay for the expense of your dinner. The background is that food and drinks are very expensive in Sweden.

ViolenceSwedes have very restrictive views on violence, domestic and otherwise. Parents are not allowed to discipline their children physically. Neither is the school or anyone else. It is prohibited to hit anybody for any reason. To use physical violence is considered a sign of weakness, especially when a bigger person hits or hurts someone smaller. A stock phrase that depicts that is "Where common sense or ability to express oneself ends violence starts".

Work and leisure time – two different thingsSwedes like to divide their time exclusively between work and leisure. We also like to separate work colleagues and private friendships. A commonly used expression is "Never mix work and pleasure". Don't be surprised if your work colleagues don't ask you to participate in their leisure time or don't introduce you to their friends. This has nothing to do with you coming from a different country, they don't spend time outside work with their Swedish colleagues either. People rarely discuss private matters at work and they are hesitant to recruit friends or family to their own place of work.

Other aspects about Sweden

Geography

Area: total: 449,964 km² (173,732 sq mi) — slightly larger than Californialand: 410,928 sq km water: 39,036 sq km highest point: Mount Kebnekaise 2,111m (6,926 ft) maximum distance north-south: 1,574 km (977 mi) maximum distance east-west: 499 km (310 mi) Land boundaries: total: 2,205 km border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km Coastline: 3,218 km 

Use InfoSverige's Digital Map of Sweden to see Sweden in detail.

ClimateDescription: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north Average temperatures: 

Use Weather.com for current detailed forecasts throughout the world. Daylight (approx):

People: 

Language: SwedishPopulation: total:8,886,738 growth rate: 0.26% birth rate: 11.7 births/1,000 population death rate: 10.78 deaths/1,000 populationtotal fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman Infant mortality rate: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births net migration rate: 1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population population density: 20 inhabitants/km² (52 inhab/sq mi) Age/Gender structure:

Religion: 84% belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden

Government: Type: Constitutional MonarchyNational capital: Stockholm Head of state: Since 1973 King Carl XVI Gustaf, married since 1976 to Queen Silvia; three children, of whom the oldest, Victoria, is Crown Princess.Head of government: A prime minister in a Social Democratic minority government.–Every four years there are elections to the Riksdag (Parliament), municipal councils and county councils, under a proportional representation system, In parliamentary elections, a threshold of 4% of votes cast is used to prevent too many small parties from winning seats. Last Parliamentary election: distribution of seats and share of votes cast:

Women Members of Parliament: 45.3%Voter turnout for 2002 elections: 79%–Swedish citizens aged 18 or over may vote and run for office. Foreign citizens who have been residents of Sweden for at least three years have the same right in municipal and county council elections. –There is general male conscription for 7.5-15 months. Sweden pursues a non-aligned security policy aiming at neutrality in the event of war in its vicinity, but is an active member of the United Nations, the European Union and many other international organizations. More information about Sweden's government can be found at www.riksdagen.se 

Economy Currency: Swedish krona (SEK)1 krona = 100 öre = .13 USD: Use the live currency converter for current rates GDP: $227.4 billion USD

real growth rate: 1.8% 

national debt: 76.4% of GDP Inflation rate-consumer price index: +2.9 % Labor force:unemployment rate: 4,2 % participation rate for working-age population: Men 78.8% / Women 74.2%–Standard work week 40 hours, minimum paid vacation 5 weeks 

Industry: Iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles Agriculture: Grains, sugar beets, potatoes; meat, milkExports: Machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicalsImports: Machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothingNatural Resources: Zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropowerCurrent Environmental Issues: Acid rain damaging soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

Sweden today

In terms, Swedes rarely take hospitality or kindness for granted and as such, they will give often give thanks. Failing to say thank you for something is perceived negatively in Sweden.Behaviours in Sweden are strongly balanced towards "lagom" or, "everything in moderation". Excess, flashiness and boasting are abhorred in Sweden and individuals strive towards the middle way. As an example, work hard and play hard are not common concepts in Sweden. People work hard but not too hard, they go out and enjoy themselves, but without participating in anything extreme.Due to the strong leaning towards egalitarianism in Sweden, competition is not encouraged and children are not raised to believe that they are any more special than any other child.The FamilyThe family in Sweden is extremely important and as such, the rights of children are well protected.

External relations with the World

Sweden"s foreign policy of freedom from alliance alliances in peace aiming for neutrality in war is a highly complex issue which is evaluated by numerous schools of thought. There may perhaps be no one theory that can account for the entire spectrum of Sweden"s neutrality, and different paradigms may apply to various time periods and case studies. Realism and Economism consider Sweden"s proclamation of neutrality (and lack of its continuity) to be a strategy, employed to satisfy the country"s economic and political interests during the two world wars, a tome of "changing geopolitical constellations and economic conditions."24 During the Cold War,

Revisionism explained the swings of Sweden"s neutrality by her alleged collaboration with the United States. The post-Cold war era saw the emergence of Culturalism – an approach that ascribed Sweden"s homogeneity of population and "exceptionally calm internal political development"25 to its choice of non-alignment of foreign policy.

After evaluating the dependent and independent variables, Economism and Realism

proved to fit the available data best. The Revisionist argument could not be utilized to explain the behavior of Swedish foreign policy in the war-torn Europe of 1939-1940 as the United States was neither involved in the Russo-Finnish war, nor in the German occupation of Scandinavia. As far as Culturalism is concerned, its one-dimensional focus on Sweden"s cultural-historic legacy seemed to be insufficient to explain the maneuvers of the Swedish government on the international arena. Since the two selected case studies (the Winter War of 1939-40 and the German occupation of Norway and Denmark of 1940) questioned the ramifications of Swedish 1924 Malmborg, 5.

25 Herbert Tingsten, "Issues In Swedish Foreign Policy," Foreign Affairs 37, no. 3 (April 1959), http://www.jstor.org/stable/20029369 (accessed September 24, 2010). neutrality, the Realist and Economist perspectives were used while analyzing the character of Sweden"s foreign policy of neutrality in a situation of a growing external threat.

In order to establish a link between the scale of external threat to Sweden"s political and

economic interests and the flexibility of its foreign policy, the concepts of the external threat and flexibility were evaluated in terms of emotionally colored lexica used by the journalists to describe the society"s sense of menace emanating from the warring states (independent variable) and Sweden"s humanitarian aid and granting transit privileges to belligerent sides (dependent variables). The analysis of the two cases proved the hypothesis: the larger the scale of the external threat to Sweden"s political and economic interests, the more flexible its foreign policy of freedom from alliances in peace aiming for neutrality in war.

However, there are limitations to the findings of the research. The lack of data on the

cases of concern for this paper, such as access to the Swedish-language sources of information,can question the validity of the evaluation of the external threat. Had more information and resources been available (for example, polls of citizens" opinion, speeches of government officials, or correspondence between the Swedish King Gustav V and the German Chancellor Adolf Hitler), the hypothesis could be confirmed with more confidence.

The conducted research highlights the fact that a country"s foreign policy is a

multidimensional phenomenon. As Olof Palme said, "A country"s foreign policy is not

immutable. It is influenced by world"s events, by changes of public opinion at home, by the need to take a definite stand on foreign policy issues where previous experiences do not afford sufficient guidance."2620 26 James L. Waite, "The Swedish Paradox: EEC and Neutrality," Journal of Common Market Studies 12,no.3 (March 1974), 335.

Future of the Swedish people

Elderly people represent a growing share of the Swedish population. Many are in good health and lead active lives, and most live in their own homes. Sweden invests more of its gross domestic product in its elderly than any other country in the world. As a proportion of GDP, Sweden"s allocation to elderly care is almost five times the EU average.

Life expectancy in Sweden is among the highest in the world.Photo: Calle Bredberg/Bildarkivet.se

Health and social care for the elderly are important parts of Swedish welfare policy. Of Sweden"s 9.5 million inhabitants, 18 percent have passed the retirement age of 65. This number is projected to rise to 30 percent by 2030, partly because of the large number of Swedes born in the 1940s.

Largely funded by taxes

Life expectancy in Sweden is among the highest in the world. In 2010, it was 79.1 years for men and 83.2 years for women. Sweden has the secondlargest proportion of people aged 80 or over among the EU member states, totaling 5.3 percent of the population. Since more and more citizens in this age group are in good health, their care requirements have declined since the 1980s. Most elderly care is funded by municipal taxes and government grants. In 2010, the total cost of elderly care in Sweden was SEK 95.9 billion, (USD 14.0 billion, EUR 10.7 billion) but only 3 percent of the cost was financed by patient charges. Health care costs paid by the elderly themselves are subsidized and based on specified rate schedules.

Public or private

More municipalities are choosing to privatize parts of their elderly care, letting private care providers run their operations. In 2011, private care provided services for 18.6 percent of all elderly people getting home help. All recipients can choose whether they want their home help or special housing to be provided by public or private operators. The municipality always has overall responsibility, however, for areas such as funding and allocating home help or a place in a special housing facility.

The number of private companies in the social-service sector increased fivefold between 1995 and 2005. Recent media investigations have unearthed alarming shortfalls among several private care companies. In subsequent criticism, the companies were accused of letting profit have a negative impact on the standard of care.

Various forms of support help people continue to live in their own homes.Photo: Susanne Kronholm/Johnér

Home help makes life easier

One of the aims of aged care is to help elderly people and those with disabilities live normal, independent lives. This includes living in their own homes as long as possible.

Elderly people who continue to live at home can obtain various kinds of support to make life easier. For example, almost all municipalities in Sweden offer ready-cooked meals that can be home-delivered.

In 2011, home-help staff assisted around 211,000 people aged 65 or over. Almost half of the country"s municipalities also provide communal meals for the elderly at special day centers, while a few organize small groups of elderly people into teams that cook their own meals.

Around the clock

When an elderly person is no longer able to cope with the demands of everyday life, he or she can apply for assistance from municipally funded home-help services. The extent of such care is subject to an assessment of need. Elderly people with disabilities can receive assistance around the clock, which means that many are able to remain at home throughout their lives. The severely ill, too, can be provided with health and social care in their own homes.

Each municipality decides its own rates for elderly care. The cost depends on such factors as the level or type of help provided and the person"s income. A maximum charge for home help, daytime activities and certain other kinds of care has been set since January 1, 2011, at SEK 1,760 per month.

Municipalities offer daytime activities for elderly and disabled people in need of stimulation and rehabilitation. These activities primarily target those with dementia or mental disabilities. Daytime activities help many to continue to live in their homes.

Transportation services

The elderly and disabled also qualify for transportation services in taxis or specially adapted vehicles. This option is available to those who are unable to travel by regular public transport. In 2010, there were 11 million such journeys completed across the country, a national average of 34 per eligible person.

Sweden is preparing itself to take care of an increasing number of elderly people. Photo: Hans Bjurling/Johnér

The Swedish pension system

All Swedish citizens are entitled to a pension after they retire. People can choose to start receiving their pension between the ages of 61 and 67.

From 2005 to 2011, the number of working Swedes aged 65–74 increased by 49 percent. The average retirement age today is 64. In Sweden, the average age up to which people feel they will be capable of working in their current job is 64.4 years, the highest in the EU.

There are several different sources that make up a Swedish pension. People who have worked and lived in Sweden will get a national retirement pension based on the income on which they have paid tax. The national retirement pension consists of income pension, premium pension and guarantee pension.

The average national retirement pension 2012 is SEK 11,428 per month. In addition to the national retirement pension, most people employed in Sweden also get an occupational pension, based on contributions made by their employers.

Altogether, 65 percent of pensioners" total income derives from the public pension system. For added security, many choose to supplement their retirement benefits with private pension savings.

National preparations for an aging population

Like many other countries, Sweden has a growing proportion of elderly people. Elderly care has therefore become increasingly important, and the Government has taken steps to meet future challenges in this area.

In 20 years" time, one Swede in four will be over 65, and most of the people in this age group will be active and healthy. Several initiatives aimed at meeting future needs are now being put in place around the country.

• The Government has appointed a "Commission on the Future" whose task is to present the latest strategies for dealing with four specified social challenges facing Sweden in the years ahead. One of these is the country"s aging population. The report is due by March 2013.

• To meet the coming demographic challenge without jeopardizing welfare levels, people will have to work longer. An inquiry has begun analyzing pension- related age limits and the potential obstacles to a longer working life, with a final report due in April 2013.

• The Government is investing SEK 4.3 billion up to 2014 in measures to improve health and social care for the most infirm members of the 65+ age group. The aim is to improve coordination of home health care, elderly care, hospital care and health-center care provided to elderly people.

Many elderly people continue to lead active lives.Photo: Niklas Bernstone/Johnér

Preventive care keeps older people healthier

Several new forms of effective preventive health care for the elderly have been introduced in recent years, and are attracting increasing levels of interest.

One example is physical activity on prescription, both for preventive purposes and as a form of treatment. Older people are prescribed not just exercise in general but a certain type of physical activity, sometimes in combination with medication, with doctors monitoring the results.

Personal injury is one of the main health problems among older people, so considerable efforts are made to reduce injuries from falls. Information is made available to the elderly, and special municipal "fixers" help with things like curtain-hanging and changing light bulbs in the home.

Stimulation through music, films, reading, painting and other cultural activities also plays a role in well-being. This is increasingly recognized in elderly care homes where many people engage in at least one such activity every day.

References

*http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Society/Elderly-care/Facts/Elderly-care/

*http://cas.illinoisstate.edu/pol/conferences/2012/2AHetmanchuk_Swedish.pdf

*http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/sweden.html

Autor:

Post-Doctor Omar Gómez Castañeda, Senior, Ph.D

Filósofo, Economista e Historiador Latinoamericano

*Doctor en Filosofía,Distinción en Filosofía Antigüa egresado de Belford University,Humble,Texas,Estados Unidos en el año 2006.(www.belforduniversity.net/verification/).Graduate: ID:RV414771-PASSWORD:44198958). *Miembro Asociado de la Sociedad Venezolana de Filosofía, Caracas,Distrito Capital(2006-Actualidad) (cyoris[arroba]ucab.edu.ve).(Google:Sociedad Venezolana de Filosofía). *Ex - Profesor Titular de la Cátedra:"Historía de la Filosofía" en el Diplomado en Filosofía dictado por el Departamento de Capacitación Docente de la Universidad Fermín Toro,Cabudare Barquisimeto,Estado Lara(2007-08). *Investigador,escritor y asesor de temas filosóficos(2006-Actualidad). *Creador del Grupo de Filósofos en Facebook(2008) (www.facebook.com). *Miembro y amigo a través de Facebook (www.facebook.com) de los grupos de: Filósofos y Filósofas de Facebook;Colegio "Hermano Nectario María",Valencia,Estado Carabobo,Venezuela y Humanidades y Educación de la Universidad Central de Venezuela.

*Grupo de Filósofos y Filósofas

*Filosofía y Más

*Filosofía Chile

*Filosofía Costa Rica

*Los Filósofos Antigüos