How a lack of cash made me rethink my love of Sweden －現金不足で僕がどのようにスウェーデンへの愛について考え直すことになったのか－

I don’t like Sweden.  What has Sweden ever done for the world?

“Well,” you say, “I suppose they did introduce the Nobel Prize, encouraging peace, science and literature.”

I guess it’s nice for Kazuo Ishiguro to get a literary prize.  I like his books too.  But, apart from the Nobel Prize, what has Sweden ever done for the world?  Answer me that if you can!

“Well, I suppose they did built a model welfare state, demonstrating that a modern industrial country can remain competitive whilst still helping the vulnerable in society.”

I can’t disagree with a nice welfare state.  But apart from the Nobel Prize, and a model welfare state, what has Sweden ever done for the world?  Huh?

“Well, I suppose they have committed to the most generous foreign aid budget of any country in the world, giving more than 1 per cent of GDP to good causes overseas.”

Okay, it is kind to donate to good causes.  But apart from the Nobel Prize, a model welfare state, and the most generous foreign aid budget in the world, what has Sweden ever done for the world?  Eh?

Actually, I do quite like Sweden.  But I like them less since I read an article about their approach to cash.

According to the article, Sweden is likely to be the first cashless society in the world.  Only 25 per cent of Swedes use cash at least once a week.  And only 15 per cent of payments to shops are made in cash.  Many bank branches refuse to handle cash.  It is also impossible to use cash on many buses and in many shops.  If this trend continues, it will become harder and harder to pay for anything in cash.  Cash might disappear altogether.

I am sure this is much cheaper for the banks.  And maybe it is convenient for businesses.

But I like cash.  I can feel the notes and coins and tell which is which, and how much I am paying.  If I pay by credit card I can’t easily check how much is being taken from my bank account.

And it is hard to collect data on what I am buying if I pay in cash.  Imagine the government could collect data on everything you bought, since there was a computer record of all your credit-card purchases.  I can imagine many governments sending the police to your door to say, “Why did you buy this book?”

Has Sweden considered all the people who have difficulty using the internet to pay for things?  How about the homeless?  How about people with a disability that makes it difficult to use a computer?  How about elderly people?

Come on, Sweden!  You’re better than this.  I admit that you have done some good things for the world.  But the cashless society won’t be one of them.

Vocabulary:

model – deserving to be copied by others; very good or excellent

(a/ the) welfare state – a system of government help and benefits for citizens who need help

vulnerable – in a weak or dangerous position

to commit to something – to promise to do something

foreign aid – money given, usually by the governments of rich countries, to poor countries or other groups in need of help

to donate – to give money or goods as a form of charity