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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!minow
From: minow@decvax.UUCP (Martin Minow)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: socialism (record Swedish suicide rate!)
Message-ID: <212@decvax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 17-Sep-83 18:35:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: decvax.212
Posted: Sat Sep 17 18:35:22 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Sep-83 04:14:56 EDT
References: <687@ihuxf.UUCP>
Organization: DEC UNIX Engineering Group, Merrimack, NH
Lines: 48

Sweden has had a high suicide rate when the country was poor,
pious, and capitalist.  There are a few reasons for this.
One is that the medical examiners don't record cause of death
as "accidental overdose of sleeping pills."  Another is that
the society has never been as afraid of suicide as we seem to
be.

Sweden is not particularly socialist.  The major difference is
probably health care and the willingness of the government to
control and monitor health.  For example:

-- Employees have a right to five weeks vacation per year.  Many
   workers get six or more weeks.

-- Parents receive a "child grant" of about $150 per year per child.
   The money must be used for the child.  It is paid out quarterly
   (just in time for school start, Christmas, winter vacation,
   and summer vacation).

-- Perscription drugs do not cost the recipient more than $4 per
   perscription.  Except for certain long-term drugs, such as
   insulin, which are free.

-- All women in "child bearing years" are sheduled for a Papp smear
   test yearly.  (The woman receives a post card saying, you have
   been scheduled on such-and-such a date.  If this isn't convenient,
   please call and reschedule.)  (Of course, there are no penalties
   for refusal.)

-- Unlike American health insurance, the benefits aren't limited.
   For example, a friend of mine fell out of a third story window
   and badly mashed up his leg.  The doctor could decide whether
   to amputate his leg without regard to the question of ability
   to pay for the 30 operations that were required.  Knowing that
   he would be in the hospital for 6 months, they gave him a private
   room.  He was allowed to go home for a few days and the hospital
   didn't require him to remove his things from the room.

When I was in college 20 years ago, we heard of the local ambulance
service which required cash up front to transport students.  The
local hospital wouldn't help women who were bleeding after bungled
abortions.

med vaenliga haelsningar,

Martin Minow
decvax!minow