An interesting study has come out about changes in the values of Swedes and the world population. In Sweden, family is important and trust in each other is high. Trust in Sweden is high for all groups. But some immigrant groups are just trustworthy but are not perceived as extraordinarily trustworthy to the same extent as the rest of the people.
Work becomes more important to everyone, but family is most important. Happiness continues to increase in the poor part of the world which, despite challenges, gets better standards over time. We in the rich world seem to have reached a material plateau where material things no longer bring us more happiness.
Technology optimism makes people's lives freer and more comfortable, so our values show that we have great optimism for it. At the same time, I wish people were more aware of the risks of AI, robotization and other challenges with technology.
Equality between men and women increases and women gain a more equal position at work, in politics and at home.
Our values show that our biggest concern is the climate and then the need for migration in the world for people in Sweden. People in Sweden and the world, including the United States, are worried about the failing security. Many young people in Sweden feel increasingly insecure and insecure. Could this indicate that people will vote for more red-green parties in the future?
Welfare important
However, I would like to make a comment on the survey. It is said that a higher material standard has stopped making us happier in the Western world, while our values at the same time show that we strive for more security. I interpret this as us no longer wanting to win by becoming significantly richer at the expense of others. The book “ The Spirit of Equality ” by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett shows that even the richest suffer significantly worse mental health and even shorter life expectancy from increasing inequality.
Pay gaps make us unhappy
The wage gap has widened between those who have succeeded in making a career and those who only have jobs with high school qualifications. At the same time, most careerists today are poorer than ordinary workers were in the 1970s. Much of the wealth careerists and workers have today will be taken from themselves when they have work from times when they are unemployed, ill or retired. What kind of values do we have about this?
At the same time, the gaps have grown most between capitalists and ordinary employees (many careerists and ordinary workers). The austerity policy means that there is double-digit inflation on securities while there was too little inflation on ordinary products and services until the pandemic and the Ukraine war.
The bottom line is that the examination of our values should show that we need more secure economic and social conditions and less war between different groups of ordinary people over the crumbs Capital has left for them.
Safety from crime
Research shows that our need for safety and security in a society free from crime and social unrest also requires a high degree of welfare with good jobs and care for everyone.
Secure from climate crises
Climate research shows that a larger public sector would reduce greenhouse emissions. It also points out that it is the very richest who are responsible for the greatest emissions. Inequality also increases the need to spend to show that one is not poorer than others. So with more equal welfare for all, climate emissions would probably also decrease.
Answer to the last question: Well, it depends partly on what these promises, partly on how credible they are.
The Green Party has e.g. have so far proven to be at least as crazy about privatization as the social democrats. And the left-wing party has, in a peculiar way, been stuck in the role of appendage without its own direction.
It is crucial, however, that power is organized outside the parliamentary assemblies. Politicians can do no more than design compromises between the forces that already exist in society.