More than 50% of Swedes feel that the main importance of the reindeer-herding industry in the mountainous northern region of the country lies in upholding the culture of the indigenous Sami people, whose traditions are based on reindeer husbandry, according to Göran Bostedt of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Bostedt argues that the cultural value to Sweden of reindeer herding is 2 to 4 times greater than the industry's revenue from selling reindeer meat, which is sometimes made into jerky.
Included in this analysis by Bostedt, I'm sure is a call for a subsidy of the reindeer herders. A government subsidy, of course, is a form of coercion, since the money is taken from others. If so many people in Sweden are in favor of supporting reindeer herding, why not just start a private foundation that supports the cause?
I am happy to inform that the subsidization of the Reindeer industry has long been taken care of. While I do have the occasional reindeer jerky myself, without special priviliges and subsidies, those sami people would have starved to death long ago. It doesn't matter if they are good at singing the joik or not. We have subsidies of everything in Sweden, including mosquito-museums, feminist pornography and a nutty old communist who still denies that people died in Cambodia, and thinks that North Korea is top notch.
ReplyDeleteIf I was kidding, it would be a lot funnier.
Mosquito museums?
ReplyDeleteDon't ask.
ReplyDelete