The "Smoke and Mirrors" Illusion of the Scandinavian Welfare State - David Unsworth

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The "Smoke and Mirrors" Illusion of the Scandinavian Welfare State
By David Unsworth

Bernie Sanders claims that Finland should be an economic model for the United States; yet the cost of living in Finland is astronomical: a reflection of the astronomical taxes needed to prop up the social welfare state as it limps along.

The term “smoke and mirrors” is tossed around in the political realm from time to time. The educated layman understands that the concept involves distorting reality: presenting a carefully-crafted illusion as a reality. But where does the term come from and what does it really mean?

The technique of using smoke and mirrors was first widely attributed to German charlatan Johann Georg Schrepfer, who in the mid to late 18th century, wowed the courts of Europe with his impressive ability to summon forth ghosts and spirits. This “supernatural” ability led to acclaim and renown for the mysterious citizen from Leipzig. Of course, the reality was that the “spirits” were an illusion; the product of a secret home-made projection which used smoke and mirrors to project the otherworldly images around the room, much to the fright of Schrepfer’s unwitting audience.

How does the concept of smoke and mirrors relate to the rise of Bernie Sanders and his fond pontifications upon the wonders of Scandinavian style socialism and social safety nets?

Read more at: https://panampost.com/david-unsworth/2019/03/07/the-smoke-and-mirrors-illusion-of-the-scandinavian-welfare-state/