In this interview, I discuss George Lakey’s “Viking Economics” or the Nordic Model with David Rovics. The Nordic model is a set of economic and social policies that have been adopted by the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Germany has also some of the same policies. The model is based on the principles of social justice, equality, and solidarity. It emphasizes the importance of the welfare state, which provides a wide range of social services to its citizens, including universal healthcare, education, parental leave and childcare. The Nordic model also features a strong emphasis on labor unions and collective bargaining.
The model has been successful in promoting social well-being and economic development as the Nordic countries consistently rank high on international measures of quality of life, education, and healthcare. They also have low levels of poverty and inequality. Additionally, the Nordic Model has been credited with helping to create some of the most innovative and dynamic economies in the world.
David Rovics is an American indie singer/songwriter and essayist currently on tour in the Nordic countries and Europe
Layne Hartsell, MSc, PhD is a research professor at the Asia Institute in Tokyo and Berlin. Former research professor at Sungkyunkwan University and the Advanced Institute for Nanotechnology and Sookmyung Women’s University in South Korea; at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand; and researcher at the University of Virginia College of Medicine. He is currently serving on the Board at Korea IT Times.
