Sweden Rejects Welfare Claim!

Kerry Howley | August 9, 2007

Back in June Michael Moynihan brought us the story of Roger Tullgren, a victim of his own musical preferences collecting Swedish welfare benefits to help cope with his metal addiction. By contrast, this married couple in southeast Sweden isn't claiming any kind of bogus addiction or incapacitation in their bid to continue ten years of state support. They just find drawing a paycheck egregiously immoral. (Welfare checks are A-OK.) Says the husband:

"Conventional work is out of the question for me - both in terms of my conscience and on an intellectual level - as it seems objectionable with regard to both my personal well-being and the well-being of society as a whole. Emotionally too it creates unbearable pain and dejection." 

The drop in income is likely to mean that the couple will no longer be able to afford the house they are currently renting in the countryside near Kinda, forcing them instead to move to a built-up area. But the married couple are loath to leave the countryside, arguing that they are unsuited to the "atmosphere" in town.

They're appealing the decision.  

Via Certain Ideas of Europe.