Bill Press: Maybe we should all move to Finland

After every presidential election, many people disappointed by the outcome threaten to move – to Canada. Really? Why? Canada has little to offer but cold weather, high prices, no cultural advantages, hardly any diversity and a country whose national sport is – wait for it – curling!

No wonder so few who talk about moving to Canada actually do so. Because Canada offers so little appeal, especially when there are such better alternatives, as we learned again this year.

Since 2002, the World Happiness Report has used Gallup polling data from more than 150 countries to determine what they call “the world’s happiest countries.” Their findings are based on six categories: gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make your own life choices, generosity of the general population, and perceptions of internal and external corruption levels.

And now the envelope, please. According to the 2026 World Happiness Report, the planet’s happiest country is – for the ninth year in a row – FINLAND! Followed by Iceland and Denmark, #’s 2 and 3; Costa Rica, #4; and Sweden and Norway, #’s 5 and 6. By the way, the United States ranks #24, after Lithuania, Slovenia, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and the UK.

Only someone as dumb as Donald Trump could miss the obvious lesson here: With the exception of Costa Rica, people who live in Nordic countries are the happiest people on earth. And what do they all have in common? They live in countries that follow the so-called “Nordic Model.” You know, it’s what Bernie Sanders talks about. Not socialism, but a related form of “democratic socialism,” also known as a “capitalist democracy,” whose main features are a stable government, robust economy, higher taxes and generous, universal social benefits.

Every one of the Nordic countries is celebrated for 10 key benefits. (1) Strong Social Safety Nets: universal healthcare; tuition-free or very low-cost universities; generous unemployment insurance; and robust public pensions. (2) Work-Life Balance: shorter workweeks; 5-6 weeks required vacation time; and flexible parental leave. (3) Dependable Government: transparency; little corruption; continuity in public policy; and trust in government. (4) Equality: low income inequality; strong gender equality; accessible childcare. (5) High-Quality Public Services: efficient public transit; modern infrastructure; well-maintained parks, libraries, and recreation centers.

Sound good? Wait, that’s only half of it. (6) Clean Environment: abundant forests, lakes, mountains, and coastlines, all accessible; strong environmental regulations. (7) Safety: lowest crime rates in the world. (8) Social Trust: people tend to trust neighbors, institutions, even strangers. (9) Strong Education Systems: minimal standardized testing; highly-trained, well-paid, teachers. (10) Political Stability: stable political systems and consensus-driven policy making.

Compare that with the United States. The advantages are we pay lower taxes and, for much of the country, enjoy warmer weather. The disadvantages are we also have the highest health insurance costs and medical bills in the world, as well as the highest college tuition; limited parental leave; longer work weeks and no federally mandated paid vacation; expensive childcare; higher inequality; aging infrastructure; limited public transit outside major cities; higher violent crime rates; a top-sided economy that creates more and more billionaires, while leaving the middle class fall farther and farther behind; and a broken, divisive political system that changes direction every four years.

Now, I’m not suggesting we all pack up and move to Scandinavia. But I am suggesting there’s a lot we can learn from Scandinavian countries, starting with the fact that what works best for most people is not the unfettered capitalism most Republicans embrace, but the Nordic mix of a free-market economy with private ownership, coupled with significant state investment in health care, education, and social security. Plus, no matter what Republicans have been preaching and practicing for more than 50 years, there are more important priorities than cutting taxes. Experience shows: cutting taxes helps only those already on top, does nothing for those at the bottom or in the middle, and means consumers pay more for health care, education, and other public services.

For most Americans, paying a little more in taxes (as long as everyone pays their fair share) in return for lower health care costs and lower tuition would be considered a good deal.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not packing for Finland. I’m a proud American. I don’t want to live anywhere else. We live in a wonderful country. But we’d be an even better country if we spent less time bragging about how great we are, and a little more time learning from others.

(Bill Press is host of The BillPressPod, and author of 10 books, including: “From the Left: My Life in the Crossfire.” His email address is: bill@billpress.com. Readers may also follow him on Twitter @billpresspod and on BlueSky @BillPress.bsky.social.)