A Plural Society

Samhällsorientering nyckel till integration SvD: "Sverige är, och ska vara, ett land som präglas av mångfald. Det berikar och utvecklar alla som lever och verkar här. Men vi kan inte oförblommerat välkomna all mångfald som positiv, vi måste också vara tydliga med att all mångfald inte är bra."

Nyamko Sabuni writes an article that I agree with in essence. The above citation concerns multiculturalism. Sharia is not good, there should be equality before the law. When a muslim is not allowed to change faith, it is not good. Honor killings, not good.

How do you defend multiculturalism then? I read a book review in The Economist that argued for a sharpening of arguments for multiculturalism among liberals because this book, and the sentiments around, are becoming increasingly anti-foreign. We need immigration for our economy and those who come nowadays are apparently mostly Iraqis and Poles.

Sabuni says that plurality enriches and develops all involved. I have been an immigrant in the US and I know that it is very exciting and a tumbling experience to come to a new country. This initial enthusiasm from the immigrant is contagious and creates an interface which makes people question their status quo, something that is very important for getting new perspectives. Comparing the new with the old is a very important process that has been a driving force for change all through history. The entry of muslims into Europe is a major movement of people.

Iraq is a fascinating country with a proud history where the Sumerian culture was the first of our civilizations to develop in historic time with the advent of the cuneiform writing. It is fitting that the Iraqis now can learn about democracy in Sweden and lets hope they are mostly USA Iraqis and not Saddam Iraqis, although they most probably see themselves as Swedish Iraqis.

The Americans have of course with their Melting Pot thought more about pluralism than most. William James, the first American psychologist, have written that pluralism was "crucial to the formation of philosophical and social humanism to help build a better, more egalitarian society". It is obviously so that people in the Middle East and Europe will find themselves more equal as muslims comes to for example Sweden and succeeds.

Some would argue that change is not a good thing. However, in at least the US and Japan the notion of change has created new developments in politics during the last year. Change is perhaps not the key word right now in the EU but I think it should be. Further integration of the 27 member states at the same time as the enlargement is cancelled is a winning concept along the lines of the Melting Pot. Incorporating Turkey would be too much change in the foreseeable future.

During the conference of Nya Moderaterna and an article by Maud Olofsson, the party leader of Centerpartiet the question of value constancy came up. It is important to restate that alignment to common European values is of importance and that immigrants would have to adapt the most. It is probably easier for an immigrant to understand the importance of Swedish values if they are served in the European context. At the present 5-10% immigration of muslims there should not be any problems and it is difficult for me to understand people that do worry.