In Praise of ...Norway (The Guardian)

[dooner]

In praise of ... Norway
The Guardian, Wednesday September 14, 2005

<snip>
Norway was declared the best place in the world to live in a survey by the United Nations. This accolade is no flash in the pan. Norway has come first in this 177-nation survey for the past five years, since it ousted Canada from top spot in 2001. More importantly, it reflects Norway's enviable ability to sustain the elusive combination of economic prosperity (3.75% growth expected this year) with a strong welfare state and a clean environment.

To this must now be added the result of Monday's Norwegian general election, in which voters bucked the current rightward European trend by returning the country's first majority left-of-centre government in 20 years. Spurning the gospel according to both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, Norway's new prime minister Jens Stoltenberg openly campaigned on a platform of increased welfare spending on education, the elderly and the unemployed (not that Norway has many of the latter).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,3604,1569253,00.html

[ConsAreLiars]

1. And a stunningly beaufiul

place. This does not surprise me. It is a harsh environment, and the people I met there seemed to take it as a simple fact of life that we are all in it together.

[Erika]

2. all in it together

Bush wouldn't have the slightest idea as to what this meant. None at all.

[ConsAreLiars]

4. Compassion and a sense of solidarity are impossible for those

whose whole life experience has shown them that they, the "elite" (AKA "scum"), are exempt from the consequences of their own actions.

(edit typos)

[radwriter0555]

3. Those darned oppressive socialists strike again....

darn them, anyways!!! It's horrible that all those people have to live with peace, contentment, care, compassion and prosperity.. Just awful.

We should either invade them or have a march to oppose them or something. Or a fundraiser. Let's all write checks to help them out!

[Maple]

5. Well that will be their last win on the title

of the best country in the world.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Canada going to make a comeback, eh?

[mogster]

7. Also on top in World Bank's 'Easy to do business' chart

Who'd a thunk? :shrug: I for sure don't think it is easy.



http://www.doingbusiness.org/Main/TopRanked2006.aspx

[K-W]

9. It seems that when you dont have to support an empire,

you can have both a vibrant private sector and take care of the people.

Funny that.

[Taxloss]

8. Why do you hate America?

(only kidding)