14/12/2004 9:37:54 am
How Dare They? Yesterday, as the Latvian construction workers came to their jobs in Vaxholm, they were met by a hostile mob. The people that outnumbered them represented Byggnads, one of the most powerful organisations in Sweden, the power due to special privileges granted to them by the government. They shouted "go home, go home" and the police had to come so that the Latvian workers could get to work. How can they do this? How can it be accepted? First, this is an organisation that has strongly defended Swedish construcution workers right to work in Berlin for Swedish salaries - which are considerably lower than their German counterparts. Second, why should the tax-payers of Vaxholm let this organisation try to force them to pay more than they need for the new school? Isn?t it good that they now can have more resources left for teachers and school books? Third, if I have a shop selling, say, plants and a competitor turns up seling the same plants cheaper - should I be allowed to physically stop my competitor from getting into his or her shop? No, if I can?t make it in the competition I have to close down and do something else. This is a fundamental battle about truth, consequence, basis rights in a free society and, finally, economic development.