abaya

Would you say the same about the other Scandinavian countries? All of the Nordic countries have quite high percentages of immigrants at this point... they are no longer the "culturally and racially pure" societies that you imagine, I can assure you.

Iceland may be small, but it is no longer very homogeneous, nor does everyone agree on what path it should take in the future. Iceland based its banking practices on American ideals (yes, American) and now the country is on the edge of bankruptcy, at least with regards to the currency and banking systems. Everyone has been conflicted about this issue, not agreeing on what to do and where... they are begging the IMF to step in and fix things.

And you assume that no one freeloads off the system in Iceland and the other Nordic countries? Oh, people do, most certainly--and my god, they're not the immigrants, either! But that doesn't change the fact that people BELIEVE in a social democracy where you are charged with taking care of the people around you, no matter who they are or what they look like or what their status is. The Icelandic health care system takes care of EVERYONE here, regardless of whether they are a citizen or not. It is an ethical issue, and people are willing to put up the money to maintain that ethic. It doesn't make the Icelandic people "Marxist," for god's sake.

Frankly, I don't think it really matters what I say. No one is going to persuade you of anything if these are your foundational assumptions/beliefs:

__________________
And think not you can direct the course of Love;
for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
--Khalil Gibran