(BTW... Congratulations to Allan for brecently finishing your memoir about caregiving! ...we all wish you well in the next phases of book design and publicity!)
Why is Denmark the happiest country on earth? Gee, could it have something to do with:
1. supports for parents
2. healthcare as a civil right and source of social connection
3. high levels of gender equality
4. bicycles as a major mode of transport
5. strong sense of connection and shared responsibility for social well-being
You guessed it! Read on for more...
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AlterNet (U.S.)
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Last month, Denmark was crowned
the happiest country in the world.
'The top countries generally rank
higher in all six of the key factors identified in the World Happiness
Report,” wrote University of British Columbia economics professor John
Helliwell, one of the report's contributing authors. 'Together, these six
factors explain three quarters of differences in life evaluations across
hundreds of countries and over the years.”
The six factors for a happy
nation split evenly between concerns on a government- and on a human-scale.
The happiest countries have in common a large GDP per capita, healthy life
expectancy at birth and a lack of corruption in leadership. But also
essential were three things over which individual citizens have a bit more
control over: A sense of social support, freedom to make life choices and a
culture of generosity.
"There is now a rising
worldwide demand that policy be more closely aligned with what really matters
to people as they themselves characterize their well-being," economist
Jeffrey Sachs said in a statement at the time of the report's release.
But why Denmark over any of the
other wealthy, democratic countries with small, educated populations? And can
the qualities that make this Nordic country the happiest around apply to
other cultures across the globe? Here are a few things Danes do well that any
of us can lobby for:
Denmark supports parents
While American women scrape by
with an average maternal leave of 10.3 weeks, Danish families receive a total
of 52 weeks of parental leave. Mothers are able to take 18 weeks and fathers
receive their own dedicated 2 weeks at up to 100 percent salary. The rest of
the paid time off is up to the family to use as they see fit.
But the support doesn't stop at
the end of this time. Danish children have access tofree or low-cost child
care. And early childhood education is associated with health and well-being
throughout life for its recipients -- as well as for mothers. What's more,
this frees up young mothers to return to the work force if they'd like to.
The result? In Denmark, 79 percent of mothers return to their previous level
of employment, compared to 59 percent of American women. These resources mean
that women contribute 34 to 38 percent of income in Danish households with
children, compared to American women, who contribute 28 percent of income.
Health care is a civil right --
and a source of social support
Danish citizens expect and
receive health care as a basic right. But what's more, they know how to
effectively use their health systems. Danish people are in touch with their
primary care physician an average of nearly seven times per year, according
to a 2012 survey of family medicine in the country. And that means they have
a single advocate who helps them navigate more complicated care.
"This gatekeeping system
essentially is designed to support the principle that treatment ought to take
place at the lowest effective care level along with the idea of continuity of
care provided by a family doctor," wrote the authors of the family
medicine survey.
By contrast, Americans seek
medical care an average of fewer than four times per year and they don't just
visit their general practitioner -- this figure includes emergency room
visits, where many uninsured Americans must access doctors. This diversity of
resources means that many Americans don't have continuity of care -- not a
single medical professional advocating for them and putting together a
comprehensive medical history.
Gender equality is prioritized
It isn't just parents who can
expect balanced gender norms. Denmark regularly ranksamong the top 10
countries in a World Economic Forum's yearly report that measures gender
equality. While no country in the world has yet achieved gender parity,
Denmark and other Nordic countries are coming close. That is in no small part
because of the strong presence of women in leadership positions. Reported the
World Economic Forum:
The Nordic countries were also
early starters in providing women with the right to vote (Sweden in 1919,
Norway in 1913, Iceland and Denmark in 1915, Finland in 1906). In Denmark,
Sweden and Norway, political parties introduced voluntary gender quotas in
the 1970s, resulting in high numbers of female political representatives over
the years. In Denmark, in fact, this quota has since been abandoned as no
further stimulus is required.
Indeed, the country currently has
its first female prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt (although she has
been leader of the Social Democrat party since 2005). Its blockbuster hit
television show, Borgen, features a female prime minister (pictured above) as
well -- a complicated, strong female character that stands in contrast to
America's enduring obsession with male anti-heroes.
But government leadership merely
exemplifies greater gender balance throughout the culture. As Katie J.M.
Baker puts it in her exploration of gender politics in the Scandinavian
country: "Unlike in America, where bestsellers goad already overworked
and underpaid women to Lean In even further, the assumption in Denmark is
that feminism is a collective goal, not an individual pursuit."
Biking is the norm
In Denmark's most populated and
largest city, Copenhagen, bikes account for 50 percent of its residents'
trips to school or work. Half. Half of commuting happens on a bike in
Copenhagen and that doesn't just improve fitness levels and reduce carbon
emissions, it also contributes to the wealth of the city, reported Forbes:
Researchers found that for every
kilometer traveled by bike instead of by car, taxpayers saved 7.8 cents (DKK
0.45) in avoided air pollution, accidents, congestion, noise and wear and
tear on infrastructure. Cyclists in Copenhagen cover an estimated 1.2 million
kilometers each day –- saving the city a little over $34 million each year.
What's more, just 30 minutes of
daily biking adds an average of one to two years to the life expectancy of
Copenhagen's cyclists.
Danish culture puts a positive
spin on its harsh environment.
Here's how Danish people turn
lemons into spiced mulled wine: Ever heard of the concept of hygge? While
some would define it as cultivated coziness, hygge is often considered the
major weapon in combatting the dreary darkness that befalls the Nordic
country over the winter. In a place where the sun shines fewer than seven hours
during the height of the winter solstice -- a level of darkness that can (and
does) stir depression and sad feelings -- the concept of a cozy scene, full
of love and indulgence, can help to mitigate some of the season's worst
psychological effects.
After all, both strong social
connections and many of the indulgent foods associated with hygge -- such as
chocolate, coffee and wine -- are mood boosters.
Danes feel a responsibility to
one another
Danes don't prioritize social
security and safety simply so they can receive benefits; there's a real sense
of collective responsibility and belonging. And this civic duty -- combined
with the economic security and work-life balance to support it -- results in
a high rate of volunteerism. According to a government exploration of Danish
"responsibility":
Denmark is a society where
citizens participate and contribute to making society work. More than 40
percent of all Danes do voluntary work in cultural and sports associations,
NGOs, social organisations, political organisations, etc. There is a wealth
of associations: in 2006, there were 101,000 Danish organisations -- worth
noting in a population of just 5.5 million.
The economic value of this unpaid
work is DKK 35.3 billion. Combined with the value growth from the non-profit
sector, public subsidies and membership fees, the total economic impact of
the sector represents 9.6 percent of the Danish GDP.
But that sense of stewardship
isn't just extra-governmental: Danes also take pride in their involvement
with the democratic process. During the last election in September 2011, for
example, 87.7 percent of the country voted. It's not surprising, given these
statistics, that the University of Zurich and the Social Science Research
Center Berlin have given Denmark the very highest rating for democracy among
30 established democracies.
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