Sweden is dealing with some big challenges caused by global economic inequality. This inequality affects both its economy and society. Let's break it down:

Economic Differences

1. Income Inequality:

   • Around the world, the richest 10% of people own about 82% of all the money, while the poorest half own only 1%. This huge gap changes how countries trade and impacts what people want to buy.
   • In Sweden, income inequality is getting worse. There’s something called the Gini coefficient that helps measure income differences. It went from 0.23 in the early 1980s to about 0.28 now. Higher numbers mean more inequality.

2. Access to Resources:

   • Many developing countries have a hard time getting good education and healthcare. This can lead to fewer skilled workers there, which means they buy less from Sweden.
   • For example, if people in lower-income countries don’t earn enough money, it could hurt Sweden’s sales of things like machinery and technology.

Social Effects

1. Migration Pressures:

   • Economic inequality drives more people to move to different countries. Since 2015, Sweden has taken in over 400,000 refugees. This has put a strain on public services and resources.
   • With so many people coming in, there’s a higher need for housing and social services, which makes it more expensive for the government and taxpayers.

2. Trade Challenges:

   • When wealth is concentrated in fewer hands, there are fewer people who can afford to buy things. This is bad for Swedish companies that rely on selling products abroad, like cars and engineering goods.
   • If the global economy keeps favoring the rich, Sweden might find it harder to sell its products worldwide. This could hurt about 60% of its economy, which relies on exports.

Conclusion

In summary, dealing with global economic inequality is a tough challenge for Sweden. It must balance internal social pressures with its economy that depends on exports. Finding ways to fix these inequalities is important for Sweden to stay stable and united as a society.