Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden occupy positions 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 on the UN’s inequality-adjusted Human Development Index. New Zealand is a mere 17th. Those same countries also hold five of the top seven places on the World Happiness Index. They’re doing pretty well.
Are there things we could learn from them?
* Sweden has lifted its ban on uranium mining and reversing the decision to phase out nuclear power with 10 new nuclear reactors
* A planned 10 billion kronor tax cut in Sweden
* A national ban on begging in Sweden
* Increasing defence spending to 2% of GDP
* Norway cut fuel tax
* Norway is 5th largest oil exporter in the world
* Denmark announced a US-Danish defense cooperation agreement, that allows for U.S. soldiers and military equipment to be based in Denmark
* Denmark is tripling military spending
* Denmark has forced 37-hours-per-week labour for immigrants in exchange for benefits
* Finland has cut €6 billion in the state budget
* Finland has tightened up benefit eligibility
* Iceland has a corporate tax rate of 20%
All good policies!
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.
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