Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 81

slightly less favorable to the environment. In 2010 the Environmental
Party Greens won 7%. The Greens also put up candidates for the European
Parliament. In 2009 they won two seats out of seventeen for Sweden.
The Party advocates green taxes, protecting primeval forests, safeguard-
ing rivers, animal-friendly agriculture, and opposes genetically modified
food and crops. Furthermore, the platform includes many issues beyond
the environment. It favors human rights and disarmament and opposes
exporting weapons. The Greens want Sweden to leave the European
Union. They maintain that too many decisions are made in Brussels
behind closed doors.
The government is led by a prime minister and cabinet, who are selected
from parliament. Although not officially a federal system, the government
is decentralized, so that elected county and municipal governments play
a major role in running the country. For example, the national EPA does
not directly impose regulations but designs targets, measures, and control
mechanisms, and then monitors and assesses them.
Sweden is famous for its belief in equality and solidarity. It is a leading
example of communitarianism. During the 1930s, it evolved the concept
off folkhemmet , a utopian form of social engineering for a paternalistic
welfare state, characterized by a classless society, government provision
of many services, and the quest for social justice. Decision making was by
consensus. The elite negotiated agreements and compromises and prided
itself on avoiding conflict. Neutrality in World War II spared the country
a Nazi invasion, and after the war steady economic growth resulted in
prosperity, which reduced social conflict. In foreign affairs, the nation
set goals of being a good neighbor, criticizing exploitation and military
aggression, aiding the Third World, and setting a good example. On the
negative side, Swedish decision making can take a long time as all the vari-
ous interests are reconciled. Moreover, the system favors existing interests,
and new ones like environmental groups have had difficulty breaking in.
At the individual level, Swedes believe in allemansratt , all humans hav-
ing the right of access to nature, meaning that anyone can hike in the
countryside or swim off a beach without excessive concern with pri-
vate property. Hikers can ramble about picking berries, mushrooms, or
rosehips. Paths go across the fields, with gates or stiles at the fences. People
can even camp on private property for one night. They do have an obliga-
tion to not get too close to the owner's house, however, and to leave the
campsite clean. Swedes are also enthusiastic recyclers, dropping off their