When it comes to economic policies that enhance the well-being of its citizens without negatively impacting the financial soundness of the country, The United States pales in comparison to that of Norway (and all the other Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland - and countless others including its neighbor to the north - Canada) . Indeed, the U.S. comes across as a 3rd world nation in many respects when you examine things closely.
Here are a few examples as they relate to the well-being of the citizens of the United States and Norway:
Norway provides:
- Free universal health care while the U.S. only has unpaid or, at best, expensive insurance-based coverage :
- Free higher education while U.S. college education is extremely expensive
- Financial security for seniors while the U.S. does not
- A minimum living wage for its citizens whereas the U.S. minimum wage is below the poverty line which generates a 29% poverty rate compared to only 10% in Norway
- A minimum of 8 weeks paid vacation annually while the U.S. provides none
- 35 weeks paid parental leave while the U.S. provides none
Norway accomplishes all of the above:
- With a personal taxation rate of only 38.5% of GDP while the capitalist U.S. personal taxation rate is only marginally less at 37% and
- While generating a GDP per person of $75,500 vs only $59,000 per American.
As result of its socialist democratic policies Norway:
- is the 2nd happiness country in the world vs.14th place for the U.S.