7 Chapter 7 Taxation in Sweden and How it Relates to the Novel Sun Storm

All countries implement tax laws and policies that they think will benefit their citizens to the highest degree. If making their citizens happy is a counties primary objective, it is common for them to think that having a low tax rate will accomplish this goal. This makes sense considering citizens will have to give a smaller percentage of their income to the government – resulting in higher salaries and a better state of living. Low tax rates can help boost a country’s economy and greatly help out families with a fixed income. It is easy to see why this is such a hot topic in politics. Many candidates run on the campaign of lowering their countries tax rates. People everywhere are very welcoming of low tax rates and it is an easy way for a politician to get the public on their side. There is one country, however, where this strategy is not as welcomed. Sweden has one of the highest tax rates in the world at 61%. Compared to Americas 25% tax rate (average), this is a considerably high sacrifice for Swedish citizens pay. So, why are they so welcoming of this extremely high tax rate? The answer is simple, Swedish citizens have a great deal of benefits that stem from this high tax rate. Things that we pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for in the US are completely free in Sweden. For example, the Swedish government “pays” for its citizens education. While in the US students are left with heavy amounts of debt from receiving a college education, Swedish citizens are rarely left with any. So, people are very willing, and even happy, to pay this tax. In this essay, I will be discussing the various benefits that Swedish citizens receive from paying this higher tax rate. I will then discuss how these benefits are relevant to the novel Sun Storm by Asa Larsson. Benefits for all Swedish citizens include cheap childcare, cheap healthcare, and cheap education, all of which would be very beneficial for Sanna as a single mother of two in Sweden.

Let’s start with the idea of cheap childcare in Sweden. Sweden is very accommodating to families with younger children. They seem to understand that raising a family is a full-time commitment and it must be treated as such. “After the birth of the child, or its adoption, parents are entitled to 480 days of paid parental leave ‘ there are very few countries in the whole world that offer even half as many days. For the first 390 days, parents receive about 80% of their normal salary and there is a flat rate for the remaining 90 days” (expat.com). This is incredibly different from the options we have here in the US. For one, policies regarding parental leave are generally not regulated by the US government. Instead, they are handled internally by the organization you work for. That being said, there are no strict regulations in the US that mandate time off for new parents. For Sanna Strandgard, these laws did not really benefit her as she did not have a job. However, she could have benefited greatly off of Sweden’s flat monthly allowance of $110 USD for both of her children. This luxury is something Rebecka doesn’t have when Sanna leaves the kids with her, yet she still goes out to buy them clothes. “We’ll make a deal. First, we’ll drive into the café in the bus station and have breakfast. Because it’s been such a terrible morning, you can order anything you want. Then we’ll go buy some new clothes for Lova. And for Sara too” (Larsson, 133). This allowance is only applicable until the child turns 16, but it is still a large investment that the Swedish government is making for its people and it is one that many benefit from.

Sweden also has amazing health benefits for its tax paying citizens. While Swedish counties are responsible for building their own healthcare policies, the central government sets the rules and guidelines that each must follow. Sweden has universal healthcare for its population. This means that everyone, regardless of their employment status, can receive healthcare for a reasonable price – something that we do not have here in the US. On average, Swedes pay $25 USD for a visit to the doctor and never pay over $30 USD. Prescription drugs are not free; however, prices are capped at $230 USD. “The standard of care in Swedish hospitals is high. If you qualify for care under Sweden’s universal healthcare system you can use any public hospital. However, because there aren’t a high number of hospitals, sometimes the waiting times can be long. Priority is always given to urgent cases” (transferwise.com). Again, Sanna Strandgard would have benefited greatly from these policies. Even though she is unemployed, she could get herself and her children the healthcare they needed without breaking the bank. At the end of the novel Sanna is in the hospital with her children after Sara’s cheek had been frost bitten from trying the start the snow mobile (Larsson 302).

Education is another expense that Swedes do not have to worry about. “The new Swedish Education Act of 2011 contains basic principles and provisions for compulsory and further education, pre-school, pre-school year, out-of-school care and adult education. It promotes greater oversight, freedom of choice, and student safety and security” (sweden.se). Not only do they not have to worry about the expense of getting an education, but they also receive some of the best in the world. Publicly funded schools are free for citizens while private schools may require some additional fees. Regardless, Swedes get to receive a great education for a low price (if any). Similar to the two benefits listed above, Sanna Strandgard would significantly benefit from this. Like I mentioned, she is unemployed, so, had she needed to pay for her children’s education, she may not be able to sustain herself.

To conclude, Swedish citizens benefit greatly from this high tax rate. Citizens are willing to pay it because they get so much in return. Sweden is one of the few places that deploys this type of taxation strategy and, thus far, it seems to be working quite well for the government and its people. It is important to note that non-profit organizations do not need to pay the high tax rate. “The church of The Source of All Our Strength has informed the tax authorities that it is a nonprofit-making organization that is therefore exempt from income tax and VAT. That’s brilliant for the church, because it presumably rakes in a ton of money” (Larsson, 218). In Sun Storm , this is how the pastors were able to evade the high tax rates and recycle the funds into their other businesses. As for Sanna Strandgard, she would benefit off of everything discussed above. Being a single mother is very difficult, but the Swedish government makes it easier by providing her with the necessities for her and her daughters to live. If this novel took place in the United States, Sanna would probably not be as well off as she appears to be in Sweden.

Works Cited

Shutterstock.com. “Childcare in Sweden, Miscellaneous in Sweden.” Https://Www.expat.com/expat.com/en/guide/europe/sweden/19295-childcare-in-sweden.html. , 29 Oct. 2018,

“Sweden – the World’s Best Education System?” Simply Learning Tuition, 2 July 2019,
www.simplylearningtuition.co.uk/advice-for-parents/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-swedish-education-system/.

Sweden.se. “Education in Sweden.” Sweden.se, 24 Oct. 2019, sweden.se/society/education-in-sweden/.

TransferWise. “Healthcare in Sweden: A Guide to the Swedish Healthcare System.” TransferWise, TransferWise, 1 Jan. 1970, transferwise.com/us/blog/healthcare-system-in-sweden.