Denmark the happiest country in the world

[syringis]

A few years ago, Danish were asked if they wanted to pay less taxes.

80% said NO !
12% said taxes should be higher.

Denmark has the highest tax rates in the world.

[BigmanPigman]

1. I saw a show about the recent history of Denmark

from the 50s. Socialism worked for them then and it has been proven that their way of life is far more beneficial than ours in about every aspect. I am jealous.

[SunSeeker]

3. It is not socialism. It is just well regulated capitalism. It is nothing radical.

They have a free market economy just like us, but they just regulate and tax it more. It really is just a matter of degree. But it makes all the difference in the world to its citizens.

[malaise]

4. No - it is a mixed economy with both capitalism and socialism

What is very clear is that they put people first hence they have a society and not a market place where only the interests of the greedy come first, second and third.

[SunSeeker]

40. A safety net is not socialism. It is the humane regulation of capitalism.

The Danish Prime Minister himself said that Denmark is not a socialist country. https://www.thelocal.dk/20151101/danish-pm-in-us-denmark-is-not-socialist

Socialism means that the government owns the means of production. That is not the case in Denmark.

What Denmark has is a robust safety net paid for by taxes. Whereas ours is weak and allows millions to fall through. And you are right, it is because Denmark puts people first, assuring that their safety net catches everyone so that no one goes without.

[syringis]

6. It is humanism rather than socialism

It is a wrong idea to associate high taxes, big government involvement to socialism.

There are other examples : Norway, Sweden, and my country : Belgium.

We have the 2nd highest tax rate in Europe, just behind Denmark.

[Irish_Dem]

29. I like calling it humanism. That is what it is, focusing on people.

Not corporations and the elite.

[syringis]

32. Hello Irish_Dem

This is the only way to reach a peaceful and safe word. This is what really matters. Not the money, power, etc.

See where the worship of that god named money brought us...

Money is just and only a convenient tool. It worht nothing as a target on itself.

[Irish_Dem]

33. Bonjour syringis

I think you and I see the same possibilities for this planet and its inhabitants.
There are enough resources for all of us to be comfortable.

And that world is peaceful and safe, an advanced society where killing each other all the time seems ridiculous.

Yes money is a tool to obtain money and power.
It really is a false idol.

Si cela ne vous dérange pas syringis, comment vous êtes-vous intéressé à la politique américaine? Vous êtes un observateur astucieux et précis.

[syringis]

37. en fait...

J'ai une nature très curieuse.

De manière générale, je m'intéresse à l'Histoire et à l'évolution de l'humanité. Je suis de très près l'information.

Partant, l'histoire américaine n'est pas vraiment dissociable de l'histoire européenne. J'ai toujours été admirative de votre histoire, de ce que vous avez pu construire en si peu de temps.

Bien sûr, tout n'est pas parfait mais globalement, on ne peut vraiment pas réduire les US au cliché déplorable de "l'américain sans foi ni loi avide de pouvoir et d'imposer son fameux american way of life" ou encore de l'abruti devant sa télé se gavant de chips et coca...

Curieusement, je n'ai pas encore visité les US alors que j'ai déjà découvert quelques pays. La raison est que j'ai toujours voulu un très long voyage (entre 3 et 6 mois) afin de découvrir le plus possible de choses. Pas facile à organiser. C'était le cas pourtant, j'avais mis presque un an à tout préparer, les billets étaient achetés et même les bagages faits. Nous devions prendre le vol pour NY le 14 septembre 2001....

Par la suite, je n'ai plus eu l'occasion d'aménager une aussi longue période. Et comme je suis têtue comme un chameau, je ne voulais pas d'un séjour de 10 ou 15 jours. Ca m'aurait frustrée.

Maintenant, les enfants sont grands et donc j'espère pouvoir enfin réaliser mon rêve dans les 2 ou 3 ans qui viennent.

Je suis vraiment écoeurée et atterrée par le sacage de Trump ! Il a pulvérisé la crédibilité de son pays en moins d'un an, il bafoué ses concitoyens, il a insulté la mémoire de ses prédécesseurs et craché sur les pères fondateurs. Il a méprisé les institutions de ce même pays qui lui a permis, à lui fils d'immigrants, de devenir président. Qui lui a donné la liberté de dire ce qu'il veut. Cette même liberté qu'il prétend maintenant retirer aux autres.

C'est un monstre, une ordure, une m***, un vomi de l'enfer, il est ignorant, stupide, amoral, immoral, grotesque, il n'a aucun savoir-vivre, c'est une calamité ambulante !!!

Dans la section francophone de DU, j'avais posté quelques réflexions ou plus exactement, un point de vue belge sur la politique US. J'aime beaucoup échanger les idées et suis vraiment ouverte à toutes les cultures en général.

Je défends passionnément la diversité et refuse un monde standardisé. Je ne suis pas fan des frontières ou d'un patriotisme qui envoie nos enfants au casse-pipe, mais je suis pro-mondialisation dans le respect des cultures et de l'être humain.

J'aimerais un monde où les besoins essentiels de tous seraient couverts tout en préservant les spécificités des uns et des autres.

[Irish_Dem]

39. Wow, you can sure cuss out Trump in French.

I learned some new phrases!

Yes I agree with all your points.
We see eye to eye the world that can be.

I hope you get your planned trip in the near future.

[syringis]

48. I wonder...

Is it very obvious I dislike (to the least) Trump ?

[Irish_Dem]

50. You have called him every name in the book in two languages.

Your French description was quite clear.

So yes, your displeasure with the Orange Squirrel is duly noted.

[democratisphere]

2. Denmark's citizens certainly get a lot of individual personal value

for their highest tax rate in the world. They don't have a bunch of Russian or American Oligarchs attempting to horde ALL of the wealth for themselves. STOP the redumbliCON donor tax fraud on American citizens! Incidentally, wonder if America is one of the miserable countries in the world?

[syringis]

7. They do :-)

All their basic ans important needs are covered. They don't have to fear about health, education, being homeless, hungry, etc.

[renate]

9. how wonderful that must be

All but 1% or 2% of us live in fear of something happening (job loss, serious illness... things beyond our control) that would cause us to lose it all. And it's not an unfounded fear, either. It's perfectly rational.

I remember traveling as an American and thinking how envious people from other countries must be of us. Not any more, that's for sure. Lucky Danish.

[syringis]

10. We do have a similar system here.

Not as good as the Danish, but good enough to bring us a enjoyable quality of life.

However, I do complain sometimes about taxes. Not because I have to pay taxes, but because of the waste. Hopefully, It is going a little better since a few years.

[DFW]

13. Corruption brings waste, which is a shame, since it doesn't need to be like that

I once had lunch with your Senate majority leader, Martine Thaelman. She was a very smart, dedicated politician, but she couldn't overcome the split between the French-speaking minority and the Flemish-speaking majority. Also, the corruption is VERY entrenched, and I'm not just talking about Dutroux.

There is at least one (probably several) brigade of financial police that goes around systematically accusing everyone of money laundering, seizing objects of value, waiting five or more years, and then returning whatever portion of the seized value they feel like returning. In one case (and Thaelman knew about this one), these "police" accused a diamond dealer of money laundering, seized his stock of diamonds (worth maybe €10 million), took a few years to exchange all the high quality diamonds for industrial diamonds (worth less than 5%), and then returned the industrial diamonds saying, "oops, sorry, we find you're innocent after all." The diamond dealer protested about being robbed by the police of 95% of his stock's value. I never heard how (or if!) that story ended. It did get a lot of publicity at the time.

In another case, they accused a precious metals dealer of money laundering, seized 15 kilo bars of gold he had in stock at the time. After several years, they said again, "oops, you're innocent after all, " and returned his 12 kilos. He said, wait, I had 15 kilos, and they said no, it was 12, and to shut up. No one would even have found out about this except that the girlfriend of one of the dirty cops broke up with him after an argument, and told another division of the police where in his apartment they could find the stolen 3 kilos of gold.

These are a few of the cases I know of, and I'm sure there are hundreds, if not thousands, that I don't know of. Belgium could be a FABULOUS country (same goes for France and Italy, for that matter) if it weren't for the institutionalized corruption that wastes untold millions by diverting money into the pockets of corrupt officials. In Texas, we know only too well how this works. I only wish your police were as sweet and pure as your chocolate and waffles!

[syringis]

17. Tu preches une convaincue :-)

C'est bien pour ça que je disais râler de devoir payer des impôts. Pas à cause de l'impôt mais à cause du gaspillage et effectivement, de la corruption. Il y a un léger mieux ces dernières années en Wallonie mais ce n'est pas encore suffisant.

Tu connais un peu le pays, tu sais que nos conneries communautaires nous coûtent un bras pour rien alors qu'on pourrait avoir un véritable paradis sur terre.

[DFW]

26. Je m'imaginais bien!

Oui, évidamment je connais la B mieux que quelques autres. J'y suis toute même practiquement une fois par semaine!

La corruption ne peut être attaquée que par un gouvernement qui n'est pas déjà propriété des corrompus (comme nous aux US actuellement), ou bien trop faible pour le faire (comme chez vous). C'est le peuple qui perd dans des 2 cas.

[Irish_Dem]

30. I don't think many in Europe envy the US any more. nt

[Irish_Dem]

59. In the US huge expenditures for the military or the elite are never questioned.

But of course there is never any money for the regular American.

[sadiegirl]

5. AND...they don't have Trump running their government. Happy plus!

[syringis]

8. They will not risk to destroy their system (and comfort)...

...to have a Trump running their government. I don't know why ??

[DFW]

11. The reality is--no free anything

The child care, the health care, the education--ALL of that is paid from those high taxes the Danes pay.

They also have the advantage of not having a million people coming from Eastern Europe claiming Danish ancestry and demanding pensions commensurate with their (unproved) former jobs. Hundred of thousands of people claiming to be ethnic Germans showed up here after 1990, and the government gave them pensions equivalent to what they claimed their former jobs to be. Russians and Poles showed up, claimed to be scientists or engineers, and were given apartments, cars, cell phones and high pensions that they never paid into. Meanwhile, my wife, who did work here for decades, gets a pension of €850 (about $1000) a month, and she has to pay taxes on that. Denmark was burdened with no such influx.

Very few countries have the luxury of Denmark's tiny, mostly homogeneous population and it's favorable geography, and even they have their occasional stories of corruption at the highest levels of government.

It's definitely better to be an average Dane than to be an average Bulgarian, but it's better to be an average citizen in Rhode Island than one in Mississippi, too. Different history, different geography, etc. All countries can't try to be like Denmark any more that all US States can try to be like Oregon. One model just won't fit all.

We all have to get our own houses in order, because imitating other success stories isn't going to work.

[syringis]

12. I agree

One model for all is not a solution. More, it would be a pretty bad idea. Homogenization is not a solution, it is a problem. Diversity is the key.

Because we all are different, different histories, different problems, etc.

But, without having an identic system everywhere, I think it is possible to cover at leat, the basic needs everywhere. Then, each country or region can develop and organize a system that fits the best the population.

[DFW]

14. Two things would have to happen for that

First, there would have to be a mass awareness of the benefits of such a system. And before that can happen, there would have to be a mass raising of awareness--which is why Republicans hate allocating money for education. Educated, aware people don't tend to vote for Republicans. This is why Republicans tend to try to make sure there are as few of them as possible.

[Hortensis]

15. I think those are manifestations of a liberal culture that

encourages happiness, not the causes although they'd certainly become contributors.

As for the liberal, it tends to become stronger in cooler climates, and conservatism tends to become stronger in hot climates. Just a few degrees, but enough to make a difference as cultures develop, something a glance at any national or global political map will support.

Otherwise, sure can't ascribe it to the climate and long, dark winter days. Today sun is going to rise in Copenhagen a little after 8 a.m. and set around 3:50 p.m.

I've never lived in Denmark, but my Danish daughter-in-law says practically everyone belongs to a family, which is a basic social group. Even though she's lived in the U.S. all her life, whenever she goes there she has a built-in family she belongs to. If we moved there with her, we would also. That basic security is probably an element of happiness.

Btw, wish I remembered the name, but the people of one of the poorest countries in Africa were described by an NGO worker there as amazingly joyful and happy, laughing, open, friendly. She couldn't say why, they just had some synergy going, but it included none of the above.

[Joe Chi Minh]

16. 'Denmark has the highest tax rates in the world.' Nuff said... !!Nevertheless... they

probably don't have a million and one local-taxation scams, as I believe you have in the US. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I resent paying for parking, here in the UK, nor do I think most of the cost of petrol should be a sales flat-tax. All taxation should be by way of income tax - and that proportionate. Thatcher and her neoliberal, gutter-snipe forty thieves, had the brass neck to claim that Adam Smith was effectively a neoliberal; whereas the truth is that, like Einstein, he was a double-dyed Socialist, believing that citizens shoiuld be taxed in proportion to their income!!!!! It seems Gates, Musk and Buffet would pay a good proportion of your income-tax pool.

[syringis]

18. Hi Joe

I don't know what they pay in the US, I'm your neighbour : I'm Belgian living in Belgium

[Joe Chi Minh]

20. Hi, yourself, Syringis ! Nice to hear from you. You

Last edited Sat Dec 9, 2017, 04:27 PM - Edit history (1)

have an ace footballer in Eden Hazard, don't you ?

[syringis]

25. He is great yes :-)

When he talks he's more understandable than Frank Ribery

[mvd]

19. And do companies suffer? No, they do fine

Denmark does enough so that everyone in society shares the benefits. Repukes don't want Americans to know how they are being mistreated by the corporatocracy here.

[Joe Chi Minh]

21. Nor the Tories, here in the UK. Funny I was just thinking

how they claim it would be a commerical catastrophe.

[sl8]

22. Step aside Denmark. Norway takes worlds happiest nation crown

From https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/mar/23/norway-worlds-happiest-nation-report-beats-denmark


Happy and hygge … Norway has taken first place in the World Happiness Report. Photograph: NurPhoto via Getty Images

As countries go it really is the golden ticket': readers on living in Norway

Step aside Denmark. Norway takes world’s happiest nation crown

Knocking their Scandi neighbours off the top of the happiness index, Norwegians put their joyful outlook down to shared experiences, the great outdoors – and lots of country cabins

Gunnar Garfors
Thursday 23 March 2017 09.40 EDT | Last modified on Wednesday 12 April 2017 10.26 EDT

This week five million Norwegians woke to happy news. Our country now comes top in the World Happiness Report, having leapfrogged several countries. We celebrated our official happiness with an extra piece of brown cheese on our breakfast bread. Best of all, we’re above Sweden, the neighbour we love to beat in skiing, football – and euphoria. And we’ve knocked Denmark, three-time world champion, into second place. How did we do it?

I have visited every country in the world so ought to be in a position to look at my countrymen and women from the inside and out. Norway and Denmark share the word and concept of hygge – making a cosy, convivial atmosphere. Both nations cherish sharing activities with friends and family. For us, it’s skiing in the mountains of Hemsedal, hiking by the fjords and picking berries in the forests. But the Danes lack both peaks and fjords.

Norwegians also have hytta, the mandatory log cabin – ideally handy for the sea or ski slopes. Top cabin spots are the white-painted coastal towns of Sørlandet (the South Country) and the mountains near Lillehammer.

...

More at link.

[ansible]

23. Danes are also considered more racist and nationalistic compared to other scandinavian countries

It's not as perfect as you think it is.

[syringis]

24. Perfection doesn't exist in any system.

Yes, racism is growing quick but is a worwilde problem.

Racism is a kind of "generic" word to describe many different ideologies and perception.

I would love to develop more and argue but my English skills are really too limited, I'm sorry.

It is a vast subject and a real problem. It's a crucial challenge for our future.

[treestar]

71. Is there anything to back that up?

We could do well for our people too, if we could just drop the racism here and consider everyone an American. We could have that cohesiveness too.

[Kilgore]

27. Could it be the antidepressants

Here is antidepressant use by county.



From this article,

http://www.businessinsider.com/countries-largest-antidepressant-drug-users-2016-2

[mainer]

28. National Geo article adds Singapore and Costa Rica to the top-3 list

Singapore has guaranteed housing, medical care, and a living wage.

Costa Rica has no standing military, is an eco paradise, and has universal health care.

Hmm. There seems to be a pattern here.

[brooklynite]

35. Singapore doesn't have democracy...

[grantcart]

41. lol. Of course they do, just not American democracy where

the minority is able to take over the executive and legislature as has happened in both houses.

Singapore doesn't have any corruption however.

[brooklynite]

46. They have the forms of Democracy but not the reality...

The Government controls the media and limits political expression and protest. As a result, the People's Action Party has won every election since 1959.

[mainer]

51. Despite that, it's rated in the top-3 of happiness

and people get their needs met.

[brooklynite]

54. You'd give up freedom for food and shelter?

[mainer]

55. Are they prisoners?

I wasn't aware of that.

[brooklynite]

57. You're free to leave the US as well...

...Some people prefer to stay and have a voice in their affairs.

[mainer]

68. Free but dead from starvation

isn't very enticing.

[grantcart]

64. Wrong on the facts and wrong on the logic

Wrong on the facts, wrong on the logic.

First the logic, they win all of the time so they are despots.

If you compare Singapore to our capital city (Singapore is basically a city state) the results are similar, since 1964 the Democratic Party has won every election by margins much greater than PAP does in Singapore. The Democratic Party registered 90+% while the SAP registers about 66% in general election.

To understand why Singaporeans are not “adventurous voters” and are more risk adverse than average voters elsewhere you need to understand 2 basic facts about Singapore a) The overriding “religious or philosophical” governing policy is based in Confucianism which stresses stability over radical change and, b) Singapore is the most vulnerable city in the world. Singapore is the only city in the world with zero natural resources, including water. Just how vulnerable the city is was taught to everyone in Singapore when the Japanese occupied the city in one day. Singapore sits between the largest Muslim country in the world and Malaysia who kicked them out of the Malay federation on strictly racial terms, by kicking Singapore out of the federation the Malay percentage of the population would rise to 50%.

It is the US that has the “forms of Democracy but not the reality”. Not only does Singapore have the form of Democracy they have the reality. Let’s compare:

VOTING

The US has a significant minority (Republicans) who have achieved success in state and local jurisdictions to depress turnout and deprive people the right to vote. Ninety year old grandmothers are refused to vote because they don’t have drivers licenses. Locations for both registering and voting are managed to reduce minority votes.

Singapore has universal suffrage and compulsory voting

BALLOT SECURITY

The US has many different electronic options that are vulnerable to hacking.

Singapore has paper only ballots that are held in boxes that are opened and counted publicly (as I have witnessed)

JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE

The US is about to confirm political hacks to judicial seats. These are hacks that have no trial experience and are political bloggers.

Singapore’s judicial system is built on the English system. For most of its history Singapore was the only country in history that wanted to ensure the independence of its Judiciary by ALLOWING THE COURT OF ANOTHER COUNTRY TO BE ITS FINAL COURT OF APPEAL. Up until 1994 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of England was the final court of appeal. For the first 3 decades any political opponent could appeal to the UK court for relief.

Ranking

14 September 2008 Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) survey reported Hong Kong and Singapore have the best judicial systems in Asia, with Indonesia and Vietnam the worst: Hong Kong's judicial system scored 1.45 on the scale (zero representing the best performance and 10 the worst); Singapore with a grade of 1.92, followed by Japan (3.50), South Korea (4.62), Taiwan (4.93), the Philippines (6.10), Malaysia (6.47), India (6.50), Thailand (7.00), China (7.25), Vietnam (8.10) and Indonesia (8.26).[13][14] In 2010, the Rule of Law Index by the World Justice Project ranked Singapore number one for access to civil justice in the high-income countries group.

Right now with the recent appointees by the US Chief Executive the US ranks number one in the Three Stooges ranking.

THE REASON THAT PAP WINS ELECTIONS

Housing

The reality is that the PAP is the world’s most successful SOCIALIST party. Approximately 80% of the property is owned by the government. Singapore has the highest “home ownership” in the world because the government has used the land to build condominiums (at all income levels) and allows people to use their social security account to secure 99 year leases which build equity and can be sold. A 21 year old minimum wage worker can “own their own home” in Singapore under Socialist policies.

Employment

Singapore doesn’t have welfare, they have virtually guaranteed employment. Unemployment currently is at 1.9%. Rather than have a minimum wage they supplement low skilled workers receive supplemental income, as do older workers. Singaporeans contribute an additional element to their social security. It was about 50 cents an hour when I was there with an equal contribution by employers. Anyone who loses there employment is immediately enrolled into a community college type program to increase their skill level. It is not only free but they receive payment while attending.

One day I was having a rare beer on the waterfront and was sitting next to a Singaporean in his mid 30s. I asked him about what he has been doing and he told me that he just got out of prison. He served 6 years for theft (he admitted he was guilty). On Monday he was entered into the community college program until he could get a job, which would probably take 3 weeks. He didn’t really need to go to community college because the entire time he was in prison he received technical training including running an MRI machine and optics manufacturing.

Wealth Distribution

1) Singapore’s household net wealth was S$700 billion in 2005 and it grew to more than S$1,500 billion in 2015, according to the Household Sector Balance Sheet

2) Compared to the rest of the world, Singapore’s wealth grew much faster. In the last 10 years, according to Credit Suisse, Singapore’s wealth increased by 2.2 times, while the US’ wealth grew by 1.4 times, after accounting for inflation.

3) In 2015, Singapore’s mean wealth was S$380,000 and its median wealth was S$140,000, according to global financial company Credit Suisse’s estimates.
That would make Singapore’s wealth gap ratio 1 is to 2.72. . Singapore’s wealth gap is narrower than that of the United States, Sweden and Switzerland. Singapore’s wealth gap is relatively narrow compared to other advanced economies. According to Credit Suisse’s 2015 report, the US, which is the world’s wealthiest country, has a wealth gap of 1 is to 7.09. Scandinavian countries such as Sweden and Denmark have ratios of 5.42x and 4.85x respectively.

SOCIAL MOBILITY
Singapore social mobility is one of the highest in the world.
Among young adults, 14 per cent of those from the poorest 10 per cent of households moved into the top 20 per cent of income earners, according to Deputy Prime Minister and then-Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the 2015 Budget debate.
In contrast, only 7.5 per cent in the US and 8 per cent in the UK did so.

PERSONAL FREEDOM
I would argue that Singapore has substantially more freedom than an average US citizen but I admit that it is biased. Among the freedoms that you have in Singapore but don’t have in the US is the freedom from fear. You can walk anywhere in Singapore at 2 am and not be fear of being shot. The entire 2 years I was posted in Singapore there were no shootings.

According to UN data, Singapore has the second lowest murder rate in the world (Data excludes tiny Palau and Monaco.) Only 16 people were murdered in 2011 in a country with a population of 5.1 million. Generally the US has a rate 1000% higher.

On the other hand you don’t have the right to own a gun, let alone an assault weapon.

The biggest difference of "free speech" is Singaporean Leaders use of ‘Defamation’ lawsuits. Singapore has the same right to sue for Defamation as you have in UK. Lee Kuan Yew used this to attack critics who, he felt, lied about him. Here is an example: https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2009/05/24/1989-lee-kuan-yew%E2%80%99s-defamation-suit-against-feer/

The fact is that during this time period any adverse decision could be appealed to the Privy Council in England and, as far as I know, Lee Kuan Yew was an excellent attorney and never lost.

In the US you have the right to say anything about anyone. You can lie continuously about the President being born in Kenya as part of a Muslim conspiracy and then run for President and never be held accountable. I would like something in the middle.

DETENTIONS
Lee Kuan Yew out did the Communists by using Leninist tactics against them. Once Lenin took power his first move was against the Mensheviks and Social Democrats, not the anti communists. Yew did the same against the communists, running on a leftist coalition he turned around and jailed the communists. They were put on an island and were allowed off if they promised to give up communism and rejoin society. All but two agreed and reentered public life without any discrimination. Two remained on the island the rest of their lives.
In the US the government blacklisted people many who committed suicide.

Long after Singapore had stopped using detention the US has Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Summary.

Obviously neither country is perfect but Singapore has just as much or more democracy as the US and their forms of Democracy where a minority power has taken power of all 3 branches of government despite having fewer votes. Over the last 7 elections the Democrats have own the popular vote in an undisputed fashion 6 times with the 7th time being disputed. Despite winning in excess of 20 million votes the minority party took power 3 out of the 7 times or 12 out of the 28 years, but feel free to patronize a country that you obviously know little about.

The US has weaponized elections with the governing party holding the Executive branch and Legislature even though the Democrats had more votes in the Presidential race, Senate and Congress. The ruling party gained power in significant part by colluding with foreign powers for personal gain.

Singapore has one man one vote elections and never any ballot controversy. In Singapore the ruling party runs every election like it is 20 points behind and the Representatives are available to meet on an almost weekly basis. The US has large areas that work on voter suppression. Singapore has universal suffrage and compulsory voting.

The US has the US Senate which is based on undemocratic principles. California has the same population as the 20 least populated states so a voter in Idaho has 20 times the power as voter in California.

It is true that in Singapore you can’t stand up and say the Prime Minister is a crook without objective facts but personal expression thrives in Singapore where public demonstrations against its LBGT laws have as many 25,000 people demonstrating freely.

In the US we have a President that is a crook.

[mainer]

65. Freedom from starvation, homelessness, unemployment and bankruptcy from illness

are pretty important freedoms. In that regard, Singaporeans are freer than we are.

[grantcart]

69. freedom from getting murdered, freedom from dispair because you dont

have the right job skills.

For the record, despite all of the best things about Singapore I enjoyed Malaysia and Indonesia more because people were more relaxed and enjoyable.

[mainer]

53. from the NatGeo article

re: Singapore:

Although the population is largely composed of Chinese (74.3 percent), Malays (13.4 percent), and Indians (9.1 percent), Lee’s government retained English as a lingua franca to help ensure no ethnicity would have the upper hand. He guaranteed religious freedom and equal education for all, and he subsidized homeownership. Most Singaporeans own a flat in government-developed housing, usually a high-rise unit. By law such buildings must reflect the ethnic diversity of the country—so Singapore has no racial or ethnic ghettos.

As a result the people of Singapore today exemplify the third strand of happiness—what experts call life satisfaction. You score high when you’re living your values and are proud of what you’ve accomplished. You tend to be financially secure, have a high degree of status, and feel a sense of belonging. To achieve this type of happiness can take years, and it often comes at the expense of enjoying moment-to-moment daily pleasures.

[sl8]

60. I'm not seeing where those countries are ranked in this month's NatGeo article.

If this is the article you're talking about, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/11/worlds-happiest-places/ , they talk about Denmark, Costa Rica, and Singapore, specifically about one individual from each country, but I'm not seeing where those countries rank amongst all countries.

Here's the top ten list that they published earlier this year:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/2017-worlds-happiest-countries/

[mainer]

66. I read the title "world's happiest places"

and assumed their article was about the world's three happiest places.

[alarimer]

61. Costa Rica sounds amazing.

They escaped most of the plantation based colonialism of other South and Central American countries, largely because the terrain was not suitable. They have no standing army, so aren’t wasting tons of money there. They place a high priority on the environment.

So cool.

[mainer]

67. It is an amazing place. Instead of supporting a military, they plow their money into other things.

And they have declared much of their country a nature preserve.

[Irish_Dem]

31. America is a backward country. The richest country on earth refuses to meet the basic needs

of its citizens. This creates unhappiness and fear which is then used by the elite to elect
more corrupt crooks.

[brooklynite]

34. Don't you love capitalism?

[syringis]

38. Hi Brooklynite

Hmmm...not so much no

[SunSeeker]

43. You seem to like Danish capitalism, don't you?

[syringis]

47. You are right

My bad because I answered shortly and quickly.

It is the same misinterpretation as for "socialism".

It is not capitalism the problem, what I don't like, is "no rules at all" or ultra liberalism. I don't like socialism too. It is not the job of a government to be the unique owner or so in a country. But I like a government really and strongly involved in all what is related to the human basic needs. That's its job.

Words as "socialism" "capitalism", "democracy", etc. are often misinterpreted.

[SunSeeker]

42. Denmark is a capitalist country, they just regulate it well, with a robust safety net.

To some Americans, that seems like socialism in light of our frayed safety net. But the Danish Prime Minister would be the first to tell you that Denmark is not a socialist country. https://www.thelocal.dk/20151101/danish-pm-in-us-denmark-is-not-socialist

[Hoyt]

36. In Demark, business and government work together to improve society, not screw society.

Last edited Sun Nov 26, 2017, 01:18 PM - Edit history (1)

[SunSeeker]

44. Yup. That's because their government is not corrupted by billionaires and ours is.

[Hoyt]

45. Exactly. There are billionaires in Demark, but they tend to be more like Buffett or Gates.

[SunSeeker]

49. Danish billionsires understand protecting the poor & middle class is good for business.

We have nutbag libertarian billionaires (with exceptions like Buffett).

[mainer]

52. Here's the National Geographic article on top-3 happiest countries

Costa Rica, Denmark, and Singapore.

Unfortunately, it's behind a pay wall.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/11/worlds-happiest-places/

[handmade34]

56. I bought the Magazine a few days ago

(my subscription ran out ) my great-grandparents were from Copenhagen... oh well

[Sancho]

62. The US spends endlessly on the MIC, and constantly fights wars...

otherwise, we'd be by far and away the wealthiest, healthiest, and most educated by far.

After WWII, the MIC took over.

[pansypoo53219]

63. i spent weeks in denmark. i think i only heard an emergency siren. i saw NO COP CARS AT ALL.

hell, the 1st time i even encountered a very polite drug dealer in a park i think. i also became epals w/ a older dane & saw how much benefits he got from their system. he liked to travel and he spent 4 weeks in america. his last week in wi to visit me. on the flight he got a bug & had to spend a few days in the hospital. he called from my house to report it to his insurance system. it paid for his meds, his stay. not only that. they gave him money for the vacation time lot. also paid my aunt's phone bill to DK. i have spent a week w/ a minivan of danes. while driving the freeway, they saw prisoners cleaning the roadway. they said that would not happen in DK. of course THEIR highways are cleaner.
most people when i was there in 98 + 03 seemed very happy.

[treestar]

70. Must be their 1%

takes pride in the country. Too bad we don't have that attitude from ours.