Questions for International Peoples

[ApocalypseKurtz]

Hi everyone! I live in America!

But I see we have alot of people here from other nations which is very nice to see

I have some questions here for people who live in foreign nations such as England, Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Netherlands, China, Japan, and any other nations


1) How would you classify your nation's government ideologically and do you like the way they are running things?

2) What are the laws like in your country on things like: drugs, alcohol, freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties. Do you agree with these laws?

3) What is the federal tax rate in your nation? Do you think it is a good rate?

4) Would you clasify your nation's economic structure as capitalist or socialist?

5) What is the ethnic breakup within your country?

6) What would you say is the biggest problem with your country today? What would you do to solve it?


Thank You

 

[TheDuckOfFlanders]

I'm from Belgium (duh)

1) Libiral Socialists.Not perfect ,but not to bad either.

2) soft drugs are alowed on certain circumstances ,hard drugs are (naturaly) forbidden.Alcohol is allowed if youre 16 or older ,but they (the pubs) even serve beer to 12 year olds (wich is no very good but we have a strong beer culture)
"freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties. Do you agree with these laws?" Pretty much ,no problem there.

3) 40% on bruto income ,way to much.

4) a bit of both

5) Flemmish and Walloons.

6)multiple things. o.a international problem's like globalization ,pollution and immigration (to name a few) ,domestic: greyning (the after war boom generation that is comming old) ,ethnic problems ,the falldown of state company's (o.a. sabena) ,our justice system ,...
Sollution? Things like globalization,immigration and polution must be solved on a interational level.State company's? =Privatizing
greyning? =well ,we have an euthanasie accord already ,now we must extend the pension-allowed age.ethnic problems? i wouldn't know ,one individual cannot change this to my oppinion.

 

[Mikoyan]

I live in Sweden

1. Social Democracy, a 'leftist' party that actually lean more to the right... The Social Democrat Party now is the exact opposite of the same party 50 years ago...
2. All drugs are illegal, except for medical purpouses of course, that's good. You can buy beer when you're 18. You can buy booze when you're 20. That's good. Freedom of Speech, civil rights and liberties are limited. That's really bad.
3. The taxes are very high for the working class, and low for the middle and upper class. That's also very bad.
4. Capitalist.
5. Mostly Swedes, about 500,000 finns, and 80,000 Arabs, there are also many people from Yugoslavia, Iran and Chile
6. Sweden has many problems. Rapidly increasing cutdowns of workers at corporations is one of them. They fire people to earn more money. So now Tens of thousands of people are out of work. Theres nothing you can do about that in Sweden's current state, since you can't stop the corporations from firing people.

 

[Zwelgje]

1) How would you classify your nation's government ideologically and do you like the way they are running things?
Our government is a mix of everything: right wing left wing and everything in between, they are doing fine.

2) What are the laws like in your country on things like: drugs, alcohol, freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties. Do you agree with these laws?
Well laws about drugs and alcohol are really mild and I don't really like that. People from Germany, France and Belgium are coming to our country for drugs and at the same time their politicians are telling us that our country is a drugs-state...

3) What is the federal tax rate in your nation? Do you think it is a good rate?
Tax is high, 30% for low incomes and for higher ones its 50%. It's unbelievable, the first time you get your pay-check and you see what goes to the government......

4) Would you clasify your nation's economic structure as capitalist or socialist?
Capitalist

5) What is the ethnic breakup within your country?
Most are whites but also many people from the old colonies (Indonesia, Surinam and the Antils) and many people from Turkey and Marocco.

6) What would you say is the biggest problem with your country today? What would you do to solve it?
Our country is getting a bit crowded, traffic jams everywhere and stuff so the infrastructure should be better I'd say.

 

[floppa21]

Great thread!

Miko, you said freedom of speech, civil rights and liberty are limited? Could you elaborate?

civ1addict, tax rate is high, but doesn't that make for good medical? or is it low rates for med, but not necessarily quality docs?

 

[Mikoyan]

Miko, you said freedom of speech, civil rights and liberty are limited? Could you elaborate?

As an example, a person can get arrested for talking bad about the Prime Minister, it has happened more than one time, The police are corrupt and seldom helps immigrant families, at anti-racist demonstrations riot police shields the skins and beat at the anti-nazis, these are some serious issues, and there are many more that needs to be solved.

 

[.:KNAS:.]

it has bever happend to me or anyone that i know that their freedom of speach or civil liberies has been limited, maybe this is different where he lives.......

But the biggest problem in sweden is that 85% of all cops are racist pigs

Iit says (or it said) in mikoyans title or location or whatever that he lives in the police state of sweden, i hardly think u can call sweden a police state..............

I think that they should increase tax for the rich, but then they would just move to some other country, same goes for major corporations

But what realy really sucks is that if u r a man u have to be like 21 or sumhin to get into nightclubs and bars and **** like that, but if u r a girl u only have to be 18

 

[Ranges]

Okay, here are my answers to your questions.. *grins* enjoy my wicked Dutch Liberalism


1) How would you classify your nation's government ideologically and do you like the way they are running things?
Holland is a liberal parliamentary democracy with a puppet royal house..

2) What are the laws like in your country on things like: drugs, alcohol, freedom of speech, civil rights, civil liberties. Do you agree with these laws?

drugs; soft drugs are fine.. Hard drugs are less fine.

alcohol; just dont get drunk in public, and dont even ponder to drive a car. Min. drinking age for low alcohol stuff == 16, booze and hard stuff == 18

freedom of speech; no problem over here.. Some things are forbidden though, due to historical reasons. notably; hate propaganda, mein kampf, stuff like that.

civil rights; pretty fine if you're asking me.. No problem there.. Oh hell, west european democracies dont score all that high on the barbarism scale anyway

civil liberties; i'm sure that's all taken care off, but what is your idea of a civil liberty? Sorry, i prolly know the dutch word for it, but the english word? Ergh.. dunno.

if i agree? DAMN RIGHT I DO! *Grins* Holland is quite an agreeable place to live (if you can ignore sucky weather, that is). THere's an extremely high degree of social security, everybody's got health insurance (monthly cost in US$ = about $6)


3) What is the federal tax rate in your nation? Do you think it is a good rate?
Ranging from 30% for the lower incomes to a maximum of about 50-60% for the richest. RIch ppl pay more, and i like it that way.. (i'm one of em, sorta, but i agree to pay more since i can, so poorer ppl can go buy themselves a fridge too)

4) Would you clasify your nation's economic structure as capitalist or socialist?
Ouch.. hard one.. definately capitalist, but with strong social parties in the cabinet and parliament, there are several rather 'socialist' regulations and laws around here.

5) What is the ethnic breakup within your country?
Dont have a clue.. *grins* if it's got a Dutch passport, it's dutch, dont care at all beyond that point..

6) What would you say is the biggest problem with your country today? What would you do to solve it?
Biggest problem huh? I guess the biggest problem is the general increase in average age over here.. Going up fast, wich means that fewer people to pay for the healthcare of more people.. Hrmm. I guess my taxes are gonna by a HELLUVALOT higher than the ones my parents usually paid.. *Grins* Oh hell, as long as i can do what i wanna do, i dont care..
About solving this problem? Stick with it. HEll, i cant really go around killing my grandparents cause they're too expensive, right?


Anyway, so much for one Dutch reply.
Greets,
Ranges

 

[Mikoyan]

But the biggest problem in sweden is that 85% of all cops are racist pigs

Yeah, i have been called 'svartskalle'(it's a racist word that is hard to translate) more than once by cops.

Iit says (or it said) in mikoyans title or location or whatever that he lives in the police state of sweden, i hardly think u can call sweden a police state..............

Really? Well, riot police for example, often packs 9mm guns when they are'nt supposed to, and they don't go to trial for that! And they can kill or seriously wound people without even being fired,
14-16th of June is a good example, i was there (no rockthrowing!)
andi KNOW the cops shot that 19 year old when he was all alone against 50 cops. It seems like they can do whatever thaey want and not even get fired for it...

 

[floppa21]

Yeesh... Cops here are often times racist pigs also... Corrupt too, but that's everywhere. Dayam, I'm glad I don't live in Sweden, my butt would be arrested every other week probably...

As for the 21 if a man, 18 if a woman, !!! Just wait til you're 21, then think of it as less competition...

Miko, I bet you're punk look/style doesn't help you in that area with the cops...

 

[.:KNAS:.]

if im not misstaken the sig sauer the cops use are only 7 mm, but ive never encountered riot cops maybe theya pack heavier stuff,

Mikoyan said: Really? Well, riot police for example, often packs 9mm guns when they are'nt supposed to, and they don't go to trial for that! And they can kill or seriously wound people without even being fired,
14-16th of June is a good example, i was there (no rockthrowing!)
andi KNOW the cops shot that 19 year old when he was all alone against 50 cops. It seems like they can do whatever thaey want and not even get fired for it...

i dont think the cops were acting right there but its not like the goverment ordered them to, i know the cops and the da`s and stuff covers their backs alot but dont blame the goverment for those idiot acts of violence

ps. i dont like cops

and floppa, what am i gonna do when im 18-20, date 16 y/o?

 

[Mikoyan]

The Riot cops use what guns they can get, since they are'nt allowed to have guns...
Lardass Göran Persson ordered the cops to protect the summit by any means possible, and that includes attacking sleeping people at night with anti-terrorist squads. One pregnant woman was dragged out to the wet asphalt and got an AK-5 pointed to her head while the other cops stood in a circle around her and taunted her.
Ps. I HATE cops.

 

[ApocalypseKurtz]

Civil Rights and Liberties and often confused; I didn't really know the difference until last year in American History class. I will attempt to clarify them here for the convience of everyone. If I am wrong or if someone would like to add something, just post.

Civil Rights refers to progress towards making everyone EQUAL. Progressives are people who consider civil rights their main agenda. In short, equal treatment of people regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual preference, and disability. In America white heterosexual Christian males were once the only group that had all rights and was not discriminated against. But civil rights movements have strived to make women, blacks, hispanics, gays, and bisexuals treated as equals and not discriminated against. Likewise for all other races and other eligions. I'm not saying discrimination doesn't exist, but it's gotten a whole lot better

Civil Liberties refers to the right to be free from government intrusion. Libertarians want citizens to be completely free of the government invading their privacy. Civil liberties include the right to speak out against your government, the right to free expression, no censorship, and privacy from government searches.

These values sometimes collide i.e. should someone be allowed to make controversial free speech such as KKK, gay bashing, and symbols such as Confederate Flag / Swastika. Civil Rights advocates say no, Libertarians usually say yes.

 

[.:KNAS:.]

well i dont like those rock throwing anarchists either........ i would gladly see it they were shot

 

[Mikoyan]

The Anarchists started throwing rocks after they were attacked by the cops, i know...
And here's a nice little piggie in action!

 

[CurtSibling]

I thought Sweden was so nice!

Obviously not...

The biggest problem in Scotland is junkies and homeless neds!

The amount of em "beggars" belief!! (hee hee)

Many crooks in Glasgow pretend to be homeless coz they can make
up to £400 a week begging!

makes you wonder if there is any point to having a honest job!

PS
Anarchists haven't a clue, thier system is doomed from the start.

What does anachy achieve in reality? = zero.

 

[Mikoyan]

What is a 'ned' anyway?

 

[.:KNAS:.]

oh, and mikoyan, Björn Afzelius- Vem dödade carlos is a real good song.............

but in general sweden is a nice place to live, but that depends where u live, if u live in a poor neighbourhood there will be more criminality same as anywhere else

 

[floppa21]

and floppa, what am i gonna do when im 18-20, date 16 y/o?

Is that legal KNAS? If it is, I guess... Why not? CHICKS mature faster than men. Colorado is weird on their age laws... I still don't really know them for sure... It's like 3 years diff or something, I dunno. I'm 26 so it doesn't realy affect me. I stick to my age group...

Dang man, Sweden is kind of jacked... Why not change the Monarchy? That would help some of the problems, no? (not trying to derail this thread...)

 

[ComradeDavo]

I'm from England.

1)The labour government pretends to be left-wingish but in reity is from the center. There doing a better job than the conservatives but not by much. I dislike the way they are running things but I do agree with raising taxes to fund major improvements in the health service which has been the talking point of this week.

2)Laws are ok I suppose, cops are pretty much useless, crinimals aren't punsished harsh enough and all those other complaints.
we can protest and stuff just no-one pays any attention

3)I'm a communist so i'm always angry at the tax system

4)Capatilist. This is weird seeing how were ''supposed'' to have a ''Labour government''

5)There's English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish obviously with a whole host of other ethnic groups as well, there has been tention other this sadly

6) Biggest problem....hmmmmmmmm...too many to cosider arggghhh overthrow the government communist reveloution arggghhhh (basically the governmet is the problem, 18 years of Thatcherism has hurt this country bad and now we just have this so called 'new labour' who aren't much better)