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What’s So Great About Finland?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in The World

They have high taxes rates (45%) and one of the most egalitarian countries in the world.

So why does it work?

HELSINKI, FINLAND – Fifty years ago, Finland was known for little more than the wood pulp from its endless forests. A poverty-stricken land of poorly educated loggers and farmers on the edge of the Arctic Circle, few paid it any attention.

Today, this small Nordic nation boasts a thriving hi-tech economy ranked the most competitive in the world, the best educated citizenry of all the industrialized countries, and a welfare state that has created one of the globe’s most egalitarian societies.

Envious policymakers from far and wide are beating a path to Helsinki to learn the secrets of Finland’s success.

“We have a saying here,” chuckles Stefan NygÃ¥rd, a university lecturer, as he swings his baby daughter gently, soothing her to sleep. “If you are Finnish, you’ve won the lottery.”

Definitely read the whole thing.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 21st, 2005 and is filed under The World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “What’s So Great About Finland?”

  1. shay Says:
    November 21st, 2005 at 1:32 pm

    When Finland replicates its success with a racially diverse population - such as we have in America - then I will much more impressed (though good for Finland though re: its tech and education sectors)

  2. Callimachus Says:
    November 21st, 2005 at 6:23 pm

    Yep. Finland again. And, yep, not very diverse at all. It’s a good model for some nations, but not for America.

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