Sweden’s Pandemic Paradigm: Does Trust in Citizenry Save Lives

Joe Selvaggi talks with Johan Norberg, author and senior fellow at CATO Institute, about his analysis of Sweden’s resistance to government-mandated COVID-19 control measures, as well as Sweden’s public health outcomes relative to the U.S and peer nations.

[@petrahall7031]

A big thank to Anders Tegnell and the people around him to not fall for media pressure but instead continuing to follow what scientifically seemed to be the best way forward.😊

[@donquixote1502]

Anders Tegnell is a father to all of Sweden. He stood strong and trusted in science.

[@WolfHeathen]

Ultimately, it's not really a question of trust even though that may have been a part of it. The simple fact is that even if the Swedish government had wanted to go the hysteria route, it wouldn't have been able to. It has no legal power to force quarantines and lockdowns within Sweden. It can close government companies and stores, sure, but it can't force private businesses or corporations to close. It can close the border but it can't force you to stay in your home. It can recommend you keep socializing to a minimum but it can't prevent people from going outside or socializing, and it can't force you to wear a mask. The only time the Swedish government can declare a state of emergency is if we're at war. It's not like the US where politicians can take any specific situation, everything from border control and opiate crisis to actual war, and declare a state of emergency.

[@akeke1]

Very good! Thank you

[@stiglarsson8405]

One lesson to learn.. dont politicies pandemics! We hade lookdown, one closed the front doors of buses/trams and one couldt sit in the front seat of a taxi, to protect drivers! But that was a concern for there unions, that demanded that, for the safety of there members! One couldnt get in to elderly homes, one have to meet ones relatives outdoors, one didnt get in to any hospital without an apointment! Resturants, pubs and bars was restricted to table service, and half of the tables was put away.. and they hade to close 22.00! In anyway.. ofcourse our politicans steped forward.. but the moste importante people was our "pandemic experts" like Tegnel! We rather listen to the experts, becuse politicans is not pandemic experts.. so our politicians rather listen to the experts! Its a bit strange for many countries, but most of our high ranking autoritys is there becuse of meritocraty, elected outside of the political system! There was a "healty discussion" between experts, in newspapers and public TV.. our population could listen and make there own desisions about.. if they want to get infected, let there elderly relatives die.. the message was, we are all gonna be infected, wait till there is safe vaccines at least! Another topic to learn is how importante it is for a country to have a neutral public broadcasting TV and radio!!!

[@michaelkarnerfors9545]

Tradiational Montesquieu:ian division of power splits it in three: Judciary, Legislature, and Executive / Administration. This is why for instance you hear of "President Biden's _Administrarion_ ". In Sweden, we do it differently; we split it in _four_ : Judiciary (domstolarna), Legislature (Riksdagen), Executive (Regeringen) and Administration (myndigheterna)... and then we put a firewall between Executive and Administration, Sweden's infamous prohibition of ministry administration ("ministerstyre"). This means that our administration is (almost entirely) non-political. So while in the US, the Secretary of Defence and the President are a part of the Chain Of Command for the Department of Defence, in Sweden, that chain ends at the Supreme Commander, while the Minister of Defence has _no_ direct power over the administrative agency that is the Swedish Defence Forces. Sure, the general directors of administrative agencies are appointed by the executive, and every year the executive give each admoinistrative agency their "letter of regulation", but apart from that, the Swedish cabinet is entirely hands off from the day-to-day work of administering the country, leaving the practical work of keeping Sweden running, to the non-political administration. ....and _that_ is why we Swedes trust the _administration_ (myndigheterna), because those people are not politicians. They are (mostly) non-political, and instead appointed on merits.

[@celiacresswell6909]

Thank you. This also suggests that excess death was not driven primarily by vaccine side effects - or long covid - as they got vaccinated and infected in similar proportions to other European countries?

[@SweDaneDragon]

The major reason to Sweden not going into lock down is that there is no room in our laws to impose such a thing. In order to impose a lock down a state of emergency has to be declared, and according to Swedish law that can only be declared is Sweden is at war. The government created a temporary law at the end of the pandemic, and they could then tell shopping malls to restrict access and things like that, but by then they were already obsolete.

[@michaelwallden7261]

U talking a lot of rubbish. This is about strategy.....not about if weden can have lockdowns....

[@markusolofzon]

@@michaelwallden7261yes. About strategy and of which lockdowns were never a part or Swedens strategy. It wasn’t even an option from the beginning due to the laws prohibiting it.

[@MichaelWallden]

@@markusolofzon i am with U, sorry if I got U wrong

[@markusolofzon]

@@MichaelWallden no worries

[@michaelkarnerfors9545]

@@markusolofzon The laws prohibiting a lockdown could be set aside. The Instrument of Government (Regeringsformen), chapter 2, paragraph 20, allows for that. Note though it would have taken only 10 parliament members, or more than 1/6 nay-votes, and the proposal would have been laid to rest for 12 months (RF, 2 kap, 22§)