Denmark, located at the doorstep of Scandinavia, is one of the most successful nations in the world. Denmark has many impressive records in its history, such as being one of the safest, happiest, most highly developed, most eco-friendly, one of the strongest democracies, and least corrupt nations in the world. Denmark is such a happy and prosperous nation that it is often referred to as something nations should aspire to be like going by the phrase “Getting to Denmark”. So, how did Denmark become such an ideal nation to aspire to be like?
Like most things, Denmark’s start to success began with its history; Denmark had a traditional feudal system, but it took a different path out of this style of government. While most nations had various alliances and power gaps between their aristocracies and their monarchs that often ignored or exploited the peasantry, the Danish King took the peasants’ side in many situations at the cost of the aristocracy. This led to a more empowered peasantry. Combined with a storage economy due to its northern location, a social system with empowered people and rights for the people was established long before other European nations.
Unlike other countries in the world, Denmark had much slower industrialization, so the communal bonds were never broken due to factories. This development created a relatively happy nation and set up the country to develop a structure similar to a social democracy. This is a policy that the nation continues to this day in many ways.
Social democracy in Denmark makes things like education and healthcare free, allowing for a much healthier and more educated population. In addition, the infrastructure is very strong, and there are more jobs than homeless people, meaning it is easier to live in Denmark. The infrastructure and social welfare programs also aid in providing a less stressful life. People may
lose a job, but they would still be okay for a period and have enough time to get back on their feet. This is complemented by a steady decrease in homelessness over the years. Denmark has consistently been one of the easiest nations in the world to do business in and this allows the small nation to have a strong economy that can feed back into social welfare. Denmark also has a relatively low population meaning that the nation can afford all the social welfare benefits and keep the nation stable. Money also pours into the nation due to how transparent the economy is and how little corruption there is. The transparent economy in Denmark also helps prevent corruption along with a very free press, and information such as what tax money goes to is very much available to the public. This lowers corruption and increases trust between the people and the government. This also helps make Denmark the sixth most democratic nation in the world as of the 2023 rating.
Another significant factor in Denmark’s success is how eco-friendly and clean the nation is. “The country ranks first in the world in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which measures how well countries protect their natural resources and human health. Denmark has a score of 77.9 out of 100, which means it beats all other countries in terms of climate mitigation, air quality, sanitation and drinking water, waste management, biodiversity, agriculture, and more.” (Nomad Capitalist, What is the Cleanest Nation in the World) Denmark is the leading nation in environmental conservation in Europe, and its air and water quality are some of the best in the world.
Perhaps the most important thing that makes Denmark such a prosperous nation is its happy people; this is fulfilled in several ways through its various governmental policies, which work in the nation’s favor in many ways. Happy people in a nation means a strong nation and prosperous nation. Denmark is one of the most equal nations in the world, as men and women
get almost entirely equal treatment. “Denmark is a very liberal country. There are no distinctions between males, females, the elderly, the young or minorities.” (Smart Insight Into, Why is Copenhagen the Safest City in the World) People are treated fairly and kindly, creating a society where everyone is a brother or sister and helps mental health and, by extension, the entire nation.
One major other point is that almost all of Scandinavia follows a similar policy, and you will almost always find them at the top of the same lists. Most notably, Finland and Iceland continue to be very successful and maintain positions in the top three happiest nations in the world, with Norway and Sweden not far behind. The Nordic nations all rate highly in average wages, safety, democracy, and low corruption, and they are some of the few countries that are more developed than the United States. The people’s way of life and government policy consistently benefit the Nordics and have been shown to benefit the people and the nation.
Denmark is not without its flaws; it faces many of the problems other countries face now. Climate change and an aging population remain issues, and how they will try to solve them is still uncertain. But Denmark has seemingly succeeded in creating one of the most prosperous nations of the modern world, and I believe we could perhaps learn something from it.
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