The Stigma of Crime, Drugs, and Unemployment... The Fall of 'I Nara,' Once a Symbol of Heaven [Curiosity Lab]

Welfare and Immigrant Haven Sweden Turns into a Gangland
Rising Violent Crime Due to Increased Immigration and Worsening Inequality
Immigrant Haven New Zealand Faces Low Growth and High Inflation Recession
Youth Hit Hard by Job Cuts and Unemployment Crisis

Nordic Sweden and Oceania New Zealand are called paradises. Both are welfare paradises and havens for immigrants. However, these two countries have recently descended from their paradisiacal status, now bearing the stigma of crime, drugs, and unemployment.

Auckland promotional image
Photo by NewZealand.com

Last November, the British Guardian published a report highlighting Sweden as a crime republic. According to the report, the number of shooting incidents in Sweden has more than doubled over the past decade since 2013, and drug and firearm crimes have steadily increased since the early 2000s. Most crimes occurred in major cities such as the capital Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malm?, and Uppsala. Sweden currently ranks among the European countries with the highest firearm mortality rates. While the European Union average for firearm-related deaths is 1.6 per million people, Sweden's rate is 4. Last year alone, there were 363 firearm-related incidents, resulting in 55 deaths from gunshot wounds.

In areas with frequent violence, poverty is a major cause of crime. The majority of residents are either born outside Europe or are second- or third-generation immigrants, and firearm crimes, bomb attacks, and drug offenses are all increasing simultaneously. Notably, among all suspects involved in gang-related crimes, the proportion of those aged 15 to 20 rose from 16.9% in 2012 to 29.7% in 2022. Ten years ago, only a quarter (23.6%) of suspects charged with firearm-related murder and manslaughter were aged 15 to 20, but according to data from the Swedish Crime Prevention Council, this proportion approached half (45.1%) in 2022.

Stockholm cityscape

Swedish police estimate that as of 2021, a total of 1,200 minors were involved in criminal organizations. In 2022, a teenager killed a 31-year-old man in broad daylight at a shopping mall in Malm?. A 16-year-old boy was detained on suspicion of killing a 15-year-old girl, and in four other cases related to organized crime, children aged 15, 14, and 13 were found dead in gang-related execution-style murders.

To jointly respond to the rampant gang crimes in Sweden, a so-called 'Nordic Hub' has been established in Stockholm, where police officers from Norway, Finland, and Denmark are stationed. In October 2022, the right-leaning Swedish coalition government deployed the military to suppress gangs after a surge in murders believed to be related to gang conflicts.

Swedish Police [Photo by Swedish Police Agency]

Sweden was once considered the most welcoming country in the world for immigrants due to its non-discriminatory welfare system and multicultural policies. Since the 1990s, it has accepted asylum seekers from major conflict zones such as Yugoslavia, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, and Iraq. In addition to humanitarian reasons, there was also the purpose of securing labor. As of 2023, there are 2.14 million foreign-born residents in Sweden, accounting for about 20% of the population of 10.6 million. During Europe's refugee crisis, more than 160,000 asylum seekers fled civil wars and violence in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia.

However, Sweden, once a paradise for immigrants, has now entered an era where more people are leaving than arriving. From January to May this year, net migration recorded a negative figure for the first time in half a century. The number of immigrants decreased by 15%, while emigrants increased by 60%, and asylum applications hit their lowest level since 1997.

New Zealand, a final earthly paradise and immigrant haven with a population of 5 million, is also relinquishing its paradisiacal status. As of the end of June, 131,223 people moved overseas from New Zealand in the previous year, the highest number since related statistics began. Among these migrants, 80,174 were New Zealand citizens, and about 40% of them were young people aged 18 to 30. One-third of those who moved abroad chose Australia as their destination. Rising unemployment, high interest rates, and expensive housing and living costs have driven people to leave New Zealand.

The average weekly income in Australia is about 30% higher than in New Zealand, and Australian companies are increasing recruitment of New Zealand youth by offering higher wages and better working conditions. As of June this year, Australia's population reached 26.63 million, an increase of more than 620,000 in just one year. Approximately 18.3 million were born in Australia, and about 7.7 million were born overseas. The population growth was primarily due to births exceeding deaths, with a birth rate of 1.63. Another factor was that more people moved into Australia than left. Last year, 219,100 people left Australia, but 737,200 people immigrated there. During this period, Australia's population increased by 518,000.

Panoramic View of Sydney, Australia

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), New Zealand's economic growth rate was only 0.6% last year and is expected to be just 1.0% this year. The unemployment rate in the second quarter reached 4.7%. Particularly, the 15 to 24 age group accounts for nearly half of the tens of thousands of newly unemployed New Zealanders. The number of cafes and restaurants, where many of these young people work, decreased last year for the first time in 20 years. One analysis showed that 47 cafes went bankrupt last year, a 24% increase compared to the previous year. Cafes reportedly have a failure rate three times higher than general businesses.

A representative of a New Zealand youth organization told local media, "There is a misconception that young people do not want jobs or meaningful work in life. The reality is that they are really working hard and trying to find jobs. They send out resumes, train themselves, and try to take courses to improve their skills, but they are not very successful." Experts' outlooks are also bleak. Jarrod Kerr, chief economist at Kiwibank, said:

"The unemployment rate will continue to rise and surpass 5% by the end of this year. Meanwhile, inflation will fall below 3% and drop to 2% next year. As unemployment rises and inflation falls, the cost-of-living crisis will ease, but it will be cold comfort for those who become unemployed or cannot find jobs."