In a small country with a population of only 10 million, things can be done so delicately that even haircuts need to be booked in advance. Such a country is talking about its own system and cultural self-confidence in the international community.
Eight years ago, an opportunity allowed Xiao Ming to set foot on Nordic soil and come to Lund University in Sweden. Xiao Ming's identity at that time was a visiting scholar, and the difference in this visit was that Xiao Ming did not have many academic tasks, but more to visit and experience. This made Xiao Ming very confused, and he didn't understand why the Swedes would spend a lot of money to invite a foreign scholar, just to "see"?
At the end of the visit, Xiao Ming couldn't help but ask a professor this question. His answer was simple and profound: "We want you to understand that there are many countries in the world that are superior to the American system. This sentence made Xiao Ming think about Sweden's social system and cultural self-confidence.
During his time in Sweden, he saw many things, and these experiences gave him a deeper understanding of Sweden.
The Swedish judicial system
Xiao Ming learned from a prosecutor general who had worked as a prosecutor for 32 years that she had never handled a single case of official corruption in her career. This is almost unthinkable in many countries.
Xiao Ming also observed a criminal trial. After the trial, Xiao Ming talks with one of the jurors. When Xiao Ming asked him how he could make sure he wasn't corrupt, he looked very surprised and never seemed to have thought about it.
He explained that in Sweden the jurors would not know who was being tried before they went to trial, and the defendants did not know who the judge was. This system design effectively prevents the possibility of bribery and corruption.
aspects of life
The attitude of the Swedes to life impressed Xiao Ming. I once went to get a haircut without an appointment and was told I needed to make an appointment. The cost of a haircut is not cheap, up to more than 300 yuan. Barbers do not work overtime and adhere to normal working hours.
Chatting with the head of the Oriental Department at Lund University, Xiao Ming learned that he was critical of Volvo's boss because "he was too rich". This ethic is new to me and reflects the unique perception of wealth in Swedish society – excessive wealth is considered immoral.
Welfare system
Sweden has almost no out-of-pocket expenses for education, pension and health care, which reduces people's pursuit and dependence on money. High tax rates are also a factor that inhibits wealth accumulation, and Swedes generally believe that high taxes help maintain social equality and stability.
This social structure and way of life made Xiao Ming feel the confidence of Sweden's system. Indeed, in such a country, with a small population, it has done very well in education, medical care, social welfare, etc., and it is worth learning from other countries.
At the end of his days in Sweden, Tom had a whole new understanding of the country. Sweden left a deep impression on Xiao Ming in terms of system, and Xiao Ming was also impressed by his cultural self-confidence. They are content with the status quo and constantly explore and improve, maintaining their uniqueness and forward-looking.
Xiao Ming's visiting experience is over, but the impact of this experience on Xiao Ming is long-lasting. It allowed Xiao Ming to see a different world, and it also made Xiao Ming think about what is real cultural self-confidence and institutional advantages. Although Sweden is small, its fine governance and pursuit of a better life are indeed worth learning from countries around the world.
This is the great self-confidence of a small country, a country where haircuts have to be booked, showing the delicacy of the system and the self-confidence of culture. Here, every detail reflects the operating logic of the country and the people's attitude to life.
Source: He Bing (Professor, School of Law, China University of Political Science and Law)