Bernie Sanders is wrong on democratic socialism in Sweden, and everywhere else

[TwilightZone]

Note to potential alerters and jurors: the headline is NBC's, not mine. If you have a counter to or quarrel with the author's logic and expertise, feel free to comment on it.

Daniel Schatz, visiting scholar at New York University’s Center for European and Mediterranean Studies:

"But as a Scandinavian political scientist who has studied Nordic politics, economy and history in depth, I do not feel the Bern. The Vermont senator has embraced an urban legend; his love affair with Scandinavian socialism gets it all wrong.

Contrary to the prevailing narrative, the success of Nordic countries like Sweden — as measured by relatively high living standards accompanied by low poverty, with government-funded education through university, universal health coverage, generous parental-leave policies and long life spans — precedes the contemporary welfare state.

In fact, when we examine Nordic politics, economy and history as exemplified by Sweden, we find that the Northern European success story was not achieved thanks to a welfare model funded by high taxes, but perhaps despite it. It is high time Sanders stops misleading his followers on this score."

More:

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/bernie-sanders-wrong-democratic-socialism-sweden-everywhere-else-ncna1158636

That's always been one of the main problems with Sanders' interpretation of democratic socialism and where it applies. If he doesn't even understand that it doesn't apply to countries like Sweden and Denmark, how can we expect voters to understand it and not be skeptical?