Attention Bernie Sanders: Europe gave up on its socialist paradise years ago

Bernie Sanders is a European-style socialist. Does he know what happened to European-style socialism?

old-school socialism.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

Bernie Sanders is refreshing. He's brash. He's loud. He's a self-proclaimed socialist. Unlike other politicians, he doesn't pander to the idea of American exceptionalism. He says America should look to Europe, particularly the Nordic countries Sweden and Denmark, for examples of how to create public policy. America should have a cradle-to-grave welfare state, public provision of major public goods, high marginal tax rates and high redistribution, and intense regulation of many economic sectors, including financial regulation and environmental regulation.

The thing that Bernie Sanders, and many of his supporters miss, is that European socialism isn't what it used to be. It's a lot less socialist than it used to be.

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Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry

Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry is a writer and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His writing has appeared at Forbes, The Atlantic, First Things, Commentary Magazine, The Daily Beast, The Federalist, Quartz, and other places. He lives in Paris with his beloved wife and daughter.