Soon it will be the First of May. On that day many Swedish workers will goi out and demonstrate against the social system which made their welfare possible.
 
That system is capitalism.
 
The Swedish society began to develop significant elements of capitalism already in the first years of the 1800s. The government´s power over its citizens began to be drastically curtailed. The citizens enjoyed greater freedom to act on their own judgment, and on their own responsibility. Enterprising individuals could become rich by means of discovering better and less expensive ways of producing strongly desired goods and services.
 
The results were soon apparent. In the beginning of the 19th century the total mortality in Sweden was 28%. At the end of the 19th century the mortality was only 16%. In the beginning of the 19th century 20% of all live born children died before the age of one. At the end of the 19th century only 10% of all live born children died before the age of one. In the beginning of the 19th century Sweden´s total population was 2,3 million. At the end of the 19th century, it had grown to all of 5,1 million. This, notwithstanding the fact that approximately one million Swedes emigrated during said century.
 
So, the flowering of capitalism in Sweden during the 19th century entailed that more, and more Swedes lived longer and longer lives. The standard of living in Sweden skyrocketed. Even the masses gained access to cheaper products, better products and completely new products. Ordinary households were able to afford, for the first time ever, such useful goods as wheat flour, sugar, cotton textiles, leather shoes, matchsticks, kerosene, soap, books and so forth.
 
And all this happened notwithstanding the fact that 19th century Sweden was not completely capitalistic – but instead still had elements of government intervention into the economy.
 
But if the elements of capitalism in 19th century Sweden brought about a colossal improvement in the standard of living – then why were the Swedes at the end of the 19th century nevertheless less well off than they are today? That is because Sweden has still had elements of capitalism even during the 20th century. Due to that fortunate circumstance, the standard of living in Sweden has continued to improve still more, even after the end of the 19th century. But if the elements of capitalism in the 19th century accomplished so much good – then why is capitalism´s reputation so bad today? The answer is that most of Sweden´s intellectual leaders have for many years systematically slandered and libelled capitalism.
 
When wage-labourers refused to adjust their wages to the market, the ensuing unemployment was blamed on capitalism. When the government inflated the money supply, the ensuing rising prices were blamed on capitalism. When power-lusting political leaders all around the world started wars, the ensuing destruction was blamed on capitalism.
 
Sweden´s intellectual leaders have with painstaking care sought to make capitalism into a scapegoat for all the ills caused by statist governments. The mess which the world is in today, is to a large degree due to the circumstance that the intellectuals have met with much success in their evil efforts.
 
Is there any antidote to the slandering of capitalism? The answer is yes. The philosopher Ayn Rand has thoroughly refuted the myths about capitalism. She annihilated the distortions of capitalism in her novel Atlas Shrugged. There are good reasons for the fact that more than five million people around the world have so far bought and read Atlas Shrugged!