'Happiest people on earth'

COPENHAGEN – This economic crisis is having dramatic and obvious effects on markets all over the world.

So how is it that Denmark, which is not much bigger than Massachusetts, has avoided almost all of them while maintaining the reputation of having the “Happiest People on Earth,” according to the World Map of Happiness and the World Database of Happiness?

Denmark is different than the United States in numerous ways, with the primary difference being that it runs on a welfare system.

In this system, each citizen is required to pay an income tax that averages about 60 percent along with a sales tax of about 23 percent.

These taxes provide each citizen a feeling of security that so many lack in the United States. This system provides citizens with universal health care, free public school system, universal public grants for higher education – they are paid to go to college – and a free elderly care system.

Denmark set up this system to help provide each citizen with equal opportunities and to help counteract the unavoidable pitfalls of the free market.

As the global economic crisis continues, there is an undeniably heightened stress on almost every country.

But Denmark, although subjected to the same economic stress, has provided its citizens a feeling of security. Systems like these help avoid economic depressions that are typically short, but no one knows how long this depression will last.

If this crisis continues for much longer, Denmark might have detrimental problems because its government can only provide so much support based on its minimal funds.
So how is it that the Danish people are able to uphold this reputation? Does this system really provide these citizens a sense of security through this crisis?

After speaking with Jacob Butski, a retired Danish parliament member who served for more than 20 years, it was evident that Denmark truly values this welfare system.

“Every Dane values each other,” he said. “Everyone shares this feeling of inclusion from the welfare system. That is why everyone is so happy. No one has the feeling of outdoing their neighbor.”