On another note, why hasn't a socialist democratic party been established in the USA or Canada?

[Connor Nyberg]

Being half Swedish and half American, I have always wondered the two have such clashing political views. I believe Sweden's Democratic Party have always been intelligent and has created the highest standard of living among the world. Yet it still maintains a capitalistic strive. Why can't the same principals work in the North American continent?

Is there social, media or financial issues that lay obstacle to such a party's success?
Being half Swedish and half American, I have always wondered the two have such clashing political views. I believe Sweden's Socialist Democratic Party have always been intelligent and has created the highest standard of living among the world. Yet it still maintains a capitalistic strive. Why can't the same principals work in the North American continent?

Is there social, media or financial issues that lay obstacle to such a party's success?

edit: proof of highest standard of living:
http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten...e-map.html
As in reference to "Socialism": I refer to Democratic Socialism, or the retribution of wealth to public services via a Welfare state on regulated means.
Not to communism, or the economical "system" in which all factors of production are publicised.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_socialism

The Swedish Social Democratic Party:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Soc...atic_Party

http://www.socialdemokraterna.se

[PhoShoâ„¢]

sweden vs usa ?

where did you want me to start. theres a million differences

[PhoShoâ„¢]

Several issues would block progress of such a party (which does exist, though it lies in obscurity).
This country lives and dies by either/or fallacies. Either you are all for capitalism only or you are a pure socialist. No room for middle ground around here.
If you point out the standard of living in Sweden, you will be shown that we have more rich people in America, therefore Sweden is bad. Money trumps all.

"Green", agreed.

[greentadpole]

The right wing windbags and the herd that follows them have bastardized the word 'socialist', when in fact, the U.S. government is full of socialist programs. Medicare, Social Security, unemployment are all examples of socialist programs.

As a country, we need to embrace both in moderation. Capitalism for motivation and Socialism for security.


ADDITION: Cap'n T: The U.S. has 11 times the population of Sweden. It is no wonder the U.S. has more rich people.

[justgoodfolk]

The American Social Democratic or Democratic socialist party, member of the second internationale like the major European ones, has close contacts and friendly relations with the left wing of the democratic party, the progressive caucus for example.

In elections they often side with the Democrat calling on their members to defeat the Republican. Democratic socialist are pragmatic first, in the US that leads them to believe the best role they can play is to push the Democrats to the left. I believe that's a mistake, the Democratic party continues to move to the right and all this pragmatism leads to is that progressive, left wing folks even those who know better themselves are encouraged to stay trapped in the reactionary two party charade
http://www.dsausa.org/dsa.html
I happen to think social democrats or democratic socialists lack principal, they have moved sharply to the right themselves. Leaders like Blair, Schroeder, Kok governed as liberals. Blair was the biggest supporter of the immoral illegal Iraq war. I don't know the specifics in Sweden but the democratic socialists in general have seriously disappointed me and I moved on. More in depth research reveals they served as a counter revolutionary prop during the cold war for Washington.

Capitalism survived the 20th century not because objective conditions were insufficiently mature for socialism, but rather because the leadership of the mass working class parties was “insufficient” for socialist revolution. The working class again and again entered into epic struggles. But these struggles, misled by the Stalinists, social democrats, centrist and reformist organizations, ended in defeats.
Capitalism exists today because of the betrayals of the working class by its own organizations - the mass political parties and the trade unions. “The world political situation as a whole is chiefly characterized by a historical crisis of the leadership of the proletariat.” These words, with which Leon Trotsky began the founding document of the Fourth International, remain supremely relevant as a definition of contemporary political reality. There is not a single mass organization in the world today that presents itself as an opponent of the existing world capitalist order, let alone summons the working class to revolution.

EDIT as I expected they are indeed a member of the second internationale. You may be unaware but that's how it is.
http://www.socialistinternational.org/vi...PageID=928
I'm fully aware what Democratic socialism entails, I was one for years. I answered what they are up to in the US and gave my personal opinion