We often fail to understand a critical element of Sweden & the Nordic Countries. In biology it’s called “evolutionary pressure” or “selection pressure”. They only evolutionary pressure Nordics had was bad weather. Sweden saw WWI & WWII from the screen, eating popcorn.
In contrast, the area with the highest cultural & historical evolutionary pressure was (and remains) the Mediterranean and Middle East. Around the Byzantine region where the extremes collide. The Meds can’t afford to be Swedish. The historical selection pressure is HUGE.
The hard North (& NWest) climates played major role in advancement of technology (they needed tech to survive). Tech = NWest.
But in terms of culture & history, how often has Sweden been conquered? Almost zero geostrategic significance. Even nazis didn’t bother to invade them.
So did Switzerland? Sure about this? Pick up your history book about the fear and pressure they suffered because Hitler gave a damn about neutral countries.
“fear and pressure” is not the same as having 10% of your population slaughtered. I’m not trying to underestimate the values of North&West, they are models in many ways. But NOT in cultural pressure (e.g. from Islam). In that respect we have to COPY the model of the Meds.
François Benoux wisdom 