Economy

Limited growth in an infinite world

There is a lot of talk about growth in economic discussions, often with the hope that it will last forever. But we know that this is not the case; sometimes there are hiccups in the machinery in the form of economic crises, recessions, etc. On the other hand, we have not experienced real paradigm shifts …   →

Heat, decay, and plastic turning to dust

I live in a country with hot summers and high humidity. This means that many products have a shorter lifespan, especially things made of plastic. For example, it’s not uncommon for the inner door handle on cars to break off, as the heat fatigues the plastic and causes it to fail; the same goes for …   →

Is the high-tax society systemic?

Sweden has been a high-tax society since the 1970s. The sharp increase in taxes came as a response to industrial closures and the resulting unemployment. The high taxes became permanent, and finally put the nail in the coffin of the laissez-faire and low-tax policy that made Sweden prominent from around 1870 onwards. It was not …   →

Modernism – liberation, ugliness or scam?

Modernism is a cultural, aesthetic and architectural phenomenon that can sometimes be oversimplified as primitivism, cubism and the search for something different. At least that’s how it started. Primitivism can be seen in Picasso’s portraits, which were inspired by African masks, cubism can of course also be seen in Picasso’s work, as well as everywhere …   →

Great Powers 2050

What is happening today in Ukraine is seen by some as a major reshaping of power structures in the world. The misguided sanctions against Russia have exposed the weaknesses of the American empire, and we are seeing an economic crisis in the West, while the Russians seem to be faring unashamedly well. Moreover, the dollar …   →

The bubble that refuses to burst

Economic bubbles are often mentioned, especially in the housing market. And there’s certainly a fair reason, as prices have been going up for decades. Our housing spending is rising steadily, and there seems to be no end to the price increases. The housing bubble was already being talked about in the late 1990s, not knowing …   →

False economy

Now that electricity and petrol are becoming painfully expensive, there’s every reason to reassess your personal spending. The first thing you notice is all those little monthly payments that are automatically deducted, Netflix, games, apps, media subscriptions etc. When it all adds up, it becomes quite a lot, even though each payment may seem small …   →

Do we need government in the 21st century?

The government, in its original form, provided military, judiciary and administration. The aristocracy collected taxes from the commoners and promised defence in the event of war. Over time, the government was increasingly transformed into a type of insurance company, where most of the budget goes to social protection, such as unemployment benefit, parental allowance, child …   →

Negligence or crime?

Several articles and books have been written about waste of tax assets in Sweden. It’s about politicians using tax money for lots of unnecessary projects, everything from empty sports facilities, theme parks, strange art etc. Also important government schemes tend to be expensive and prolonged. There is a ghost in the machinery, most politician driven …   →

What will you do with the money?

More and more often, banks ask questions to their customers when they want to transfer or withdraw money. Especially in foreign transactions and slightly larger amounts, they want to know what the cash withdrawal is for. And if you don’t answer, you won’t get any money. Now it is not that the bank is particularly …   →