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Comment by draugadrotten | Hacker News Reader

> And then there was a Jubilee once every 7*7=49 years

In modern Sweden, you are debt free in 5 years only, not seven, by invoking "skuldsanering".

Paraphrasing you, modern Sweden has a system promoting mercy and hope even for those who lost everything and the Jubilee law meant creating oppression and exploiting the poor.

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Besides the Jubilee, there was a 'release' every 7 years, where 'every creditor that lends unto his neighbour shall release it'.

In ancient Israel, real estate was forbidden to be permanently 'sold'. You could lease it out for 50 years, but at the Jubilee, it would return back to the family.

Compared to most of Europe, one of the things the US has to recommend it, is easier access to personal bankruptcy, jingle mailing underwater house keys etc. Of course, given the obsession of our time being to trick someone into putting his name on some dotted line, the politicos are doing their darnedest to destroy this, but it's still easier to just walk away in America than in most places.

Good to hear Sweden has as good, (perhaps better?) access to such facilities.

The catch though is that you live on an existential minimum throughout that time. Everything you earn above that very low level will go to the state, if I understand the system correctly.

Personal bankruptcy laws aren't exactly unique to Sweden.

I also think you misunderstand what aruggirello meant.

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