Contra # 6 2021 Summary in English
Leader: Beach protection
A liberalization in the tough Swedish legislation on construction close to waters (including small ditches) was a demand from the agrarian center party in order to approve the election of social democrat Magdalena Andersson as new Swedish prime minister. But in fact legislation was liberalized only where people don’t want to build and made tougher in areas where people would like to build, just as the Green party wanted.
Memories from the fall of the Soviet Union
Patrick Cockburn worked in Moscow when the Soviet Union fell apart. He recalls what happened and how Western journalists in Moscow reacted.
Géza Molnár: Immigration and Crime
After several years (16) The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention has made a new study of immigration and crime. The Attorney General Morgan Johansson has claimed that higher criminality in typically immigrant areas is explained by ”socioeconomics” (lower wages, lower education, a high proportion of young single men). But when the Council for Crime Prevention adjust for such factors there is still a significant difference left.
C G Holm: 300 public authorities – mostly women at the top
Contra has looked at all public authorities. How many employees and who is the boss? Most authorities publish an annual report which has helped us. Although key figures can be hard to find in the annual reports. Exactly 100 public authorities have a ”Director General” at the top, 33 publicly owned universities has a principal, 21 counties have a governor, 61 public authorities are formally companies with a chief executive officer, 15 publicly owned museums have a director at the top. Among governors there are 13 women and 8 men (62 per cent women). Within the authorities a total of 150 000 employees have a male top boss, while 210,000 have a woman at the top (58 per cent).
Britt-Louise Hoberg: Iron manufacturing and small business
It is a big difference between the attitude in the traditional iron manufacturing (take no initiatives, do what you are told, nothing else) and the entreprenuerial attitude in typically small business areas.
C G Holm: After COP26 in Glasgow…
Media made a lot out of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow. But media, as well as the meeting, distanced themselves from the scientific truth.
Tommy Hansson: Angela Merkel’s destructive energy and immigration policies
Angela Merkel has resigned after sixteen years as Chancellor in Germany. Her popularity is still high. But her policies have not been favorable for Germany (and Europe), especially considering energy and migration policies.
Géza Molnár: The conflict in the West Philippine Sea resumes
In spite of China’s loss in international arbitration in 2016 China has acted as it wants in the West Philippine Sea, especially after the assumption of power of the Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte. But Mr Duterte is expected to leave the presidency in 2022.
Karl-Olov Arnstberg: Politically correct (book)
Arnstberg’s latest book is two volumes on ”politically correct” people. A total of 600 pages. Arnstberg summarizes that he dislikes the objects of his study.
Desmond Shum: Red Roulette (book)
A Chinese billionaire closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party has defected and now lives in England. Desmond Shum (his Chinese first name is Dong) tells about corruption and guangxi (political connections) as a prerequisite for success in Chinese business.