What Are The Ten Best Countries In The World?

[Bluebear]

Newsweek created a list of the best countries in the world. United States did not even obtain a position in the top ten. In fact, some of our ratings in key factors in the ranking was sadly low. In past years, I can remember when the United States would almost inevitably place first in all categories. This is a reminder of how much we have to accomplish in order to restore what has always made America great.

The United States ranked a very sad 26th in education coming behind such nations as Kazakhstan, Hungary and Poland. In healthcare, again we hit the pitiful 26th ranking. We do manage to make it into the top ten in the areas of 'quality of life' and 'economic dynamism.' So let's see what are the top ten best nations in the world. Drum roll!

1. Finland
2. Switzerland
3. Sweden
4. Australia
5. Luxembourg
6. Norway
7. Canada
8. Netherlands
9. Japan
10. Denmark

http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/08/what-are-the-ten-best-countries-in-the-world-.html#more

[realisticphish]

1. The education scales

I read Newsweek's methodology and I'm still not sure.

Because I find it very hard to believe that Kazakhstan rates higher than us. Poland, sure. Hungary, eeeeeh, I don't know.

I'm not a stats expert but in the past, there have been problems involving the universality of standardized testing in the US. In some comparisons, the best students in a certain country are compared to the average American student, which is hardly fair.

I don't know if that happened here, or not, but it still doesn't excuse the embarrassing state of education funding in America.

[DesertFlower]

2. i'm not surprised.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

3. What Do All Those Countries Have In Common?

Probably lots of things, but let me start the list:

1. Universal Health Care

2. Non-interventionist military policy.


Feel free to add to the list.

[daleanime]

4. Put a much smaller percent....

of their own people in jail.

[Dark]

5. I'd say no. 1 would be lack of income disparity between rich and poor.

n/t

[pampango]

6. Agreed. After Japan, Europe has the most equitable income distribution.

Here are the figures for "The amount of times greater the average income of the richest 10% is to the poorest 10%" in some countries.

1. Finland - 5.6
2. Switzerland - 9.0
3. Sweden - 6.2
4. Australia - 12.5
5. Luxembourg
6. Norway - 6.1
7. Canada - 9.4
8. Netherlands - 9.2
9. Japan - 4.5
10. Denmark - 8.1

The US comes in at a terrible 15.9 (which ranks it #74 in the world). There is no developed country with a higher figure.

Germany, the world's number 2 exporter close behind China, has a very good 6.9 better than most European countries. (The figure for the whole EU is 9.0.) Japan has the most equitable distribution of incomes in the world. Ironically, the "losers" in WWII have equitable distributions of income in highly developed economies, while the "winners" - the US, Russia (12.7), the UK (13.8) - are three of the worst four developed countries in terms of income distributions. (Portugal slips in at 15.0 to push Russia and the UK out of next-to-last place.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality

[Sisaruus]

7. Traffic violation fines in Finland are based on income distribution

People in that upper 10% get six-figure fines for speeding.

[Prometheus Bound]

8. All but Japan are relatively small.

Countries like China, India and the US are just too damn big to be manageable.

[ThomWV]

9. Are you saying that Japan is larger than Canada or Australia?

[Prometheus Bound]

10. Surely you know what I mean.

Japan has 4 times the population of Canada.

[BB1]

11. Nice to see

I live in #8.

[tex-wyo-dem]

12. I used to work for a Finnish company and spent a lot of time there...

When I visited the country for the first time I wondered why there were so many travel agencies (as plentiful as Starbucks). One of my Finnish coligues explained to me that they pay a lot in taxes, but for their money they get a great public transportaion system (no car really needed), single- payer health care, free education all the way to a Master's degree, a generous retirement plan and ample amounts of vacation mandated by law. Since most in the country never really considered living in anything more than a modest flat or small house, the main thing people really saved up for was vacations (I'm sure the lovely Finnish weather most of the year played a part in this as well:)).

[old mark]

13. Not surprised the US isn't there, but I'm shocked not to find Germany...

I believe we are on our way down from the top - China will displace us in fact, if they have not already done so, and we have ignored the real needs of our people for several generations now in persuit of the conservative desire for rule of the rich.

I really don't know how we can stop this at this late date. It might be best if we were to break up into small countries like Europe.

mark