And that context, ironically, is social.

Context Is Key in Evaluating Nordic ‘Socialism’

...Elizabeth Bruenig of the Washington Post. Bruenig consistently celebrates the virtues of supposedly socialist Nordic countries....

...the most irritating aspect of the Left’s new addiction to Nordic “socialism” is that it causes us to ignore the actual conditions under which Nordic programs flourish — conditions that we would do well to actually mimic. The major advantage held by Nordic countries is a cultural focus on education, law-abiding behavior, and hard work.

The crime rate in the Nordic countries is exceedingly low, and it has been for generations. Every single Nordic country except Iceland ranks below the OECD average in terms of single-parent households, and well below the United States. Nordic countries have long been linked with a strong work ethic, thanks in part to geographic difficulties that require long hours. As Nima Sanandaji writes, “High levels of trust, a strong work ethic and social cohesion are the perfect starting point for successful economies.” Of course, socialist welfare schemes tend to undermine both family relations and work ethic, and Norway has been facing serious problems with people opting out of work. (“This is an oil-for-leisure program,” Norwegian economist Knut Anton Mork told the New York Times a decade ago.)...