Eps 6: Sweden culture
The official language of Sweden is Swedish and it is spoken by the majority of individuals living in Sweden.
The indigenous population of Sweden is comprised of Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities.
Business personnel in Sweden are typically fairly reserved and as such it is important that all dealings are formal and serious until it is deemed acceptable by the respective Swedish personnel to allow events to become more relaxed.
Host
Suzanne Arnold
Podcast Content
Swedes are generally conservative people who avoid bragging and public self-referentiality. Swedes are very proud of their society and do not like to argue, especially with guests or foreigners, so it is wise not to criticise them. They avoid discussing private details of assets and family and they don't like arguments.
If a Swede abruptly changes the topic of conversation, it may be because the interview becomes too personal. If a Swede abruptly changes topics, it could be because of personal issues.
The Swedish Government does not collect statistics on ethnic origin in Sweden, but categorises citizens by country of birth. Sweden is more likely than other countries in the world, such as the United States or Canada, to avoid negative comments.
There is also a small indigenous minority, the Sami, who typically live in northern Sweden. The population is very homogeneous and consists mainly of Swedes, Finns and other ethnic groups from the northern and southern regions of Sweden. Sweden borders the modern Scandinavian countries, where about 85% of the population live in urban areas and the rest in rural areas.
About one-fifth of the population is foreign-born, and English is even one of six official languages, while the number of English speakers is about the same as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Swedish is used by outsiders, but the majority of people in Sweden, especially in rural areas, are born in Swedish, with only a small minority speaking English.
Swedish and has a positive impact on the country's economy, education system and culture, as well as on its social and political life.
It all began with a compromise reached in 1938 in Saltsjobaden between the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, known as LO, and the Swedish Communist Party. The original agreement was aimed at ending the conflict between LO and its rival, the Socialist Workers Party. This is the basis of the so-called "Swedish model" of the country's social and economic development. It became the symbol of the whole Swedish philosophy of the social, economic, political, cultural and social development of a country and its social life.
Swedes are very modest and often refer to Sweden's informal code of modesty as the Jante law, which negatively portrays individual success and achievement and criticizes it as unworthy or inappropriate. In summary, many Swedes believe that their identity is based on shared core values and attitudes. According to Hofstede Insights 2017, Sweden is a feminine society where a balance of inclusiveness and consideration for others is a central part of the social fabric.
The term "home" is a metaphor for the Swedish nation, the family and the household, as well as a reference to the country's culture.
The Swedish social system, for example, is designed to ensure that everyone has enough and no one goes out empty handed, and ideas such as equality and moderation are reflected in all aspects of Swedish life. These ideas symbolise the desire to create a society mediated and supported by social welfare, which forms the basis of the country's culture and political system.
Moreover, the cornerstone of Swedish culture is the concept of lagom, social justice, and the idea of equality and moderation. This is also reflected in the country's cultural values, such as equal opportunities and respect for the rights of others.
Sweden is traditionally divided into three major regions: Gotaland, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Malmö. The vast majority of people live in the three major cities that make up a triangle of urban residences in Gothenburg, Malmstrom and Helsingborg. The largest city, Stockholm, is the second largest in Europe, with a population of over 1.3 million.
The social system in Sweden is sometimes described as the cradle - to - coffin phase of the life cycle, with support available at all stages of the life cycle. Today, the distribution of resources in Swedish is among the most equitable in the world. This is because Swedes work hard to ensure that all citizens have the same social rights.
Sweden's social system paved the way for a more egalitarian society, and many feel pride in paying their taxes, because they feel that they are contributing to Sweden. Moreover, many Swedes are willing to pay a higher tax rate for what they receive in return.
Sweden is inhabited by several Germanic tribes that first settled in Sweden, but the country remained relatively ethnically homogeneous until the recent wave of immigration transformed it into a multi-ethnic society. Indeed, cultural differences between Sweden's ethnic groups and the rest of the world have faded over the past 50 years.