Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin says the American Dream is best achieved in Nordic countries

[applegrove]

Last edited Mon Feb 3, 2020, 06:57 PM - Edit history (1)

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin says the American Dream is best achieved in Nordic countries

Here’s a look how the United States compares to Finland on several economic and well-being indicators.

By Heather Long at the Washington Post

Feb. 3, 2020 at 3:11 p.m. EST

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/02/03/finland-american-dream/#click=https://t.co/qFayGMZk0c

"SNIP.....

Social Mobility ― Nordic countries are at the top of the World Economic Forum’s Social Mobility Index, which looks at how people born across the income spectrum fare in health, educational achievement and income. The United States ranks No. 27 — behind not only Finland, but also Germany, Canada, France, Japan, Australia and other nations. Social mobility in the United States has been falling. Widely cited research by Harvard professor Raj Chetty shows that back in 1940, more than 90 percent of children born in the United States that year went on to earn more than their parents. That benchmark has fallen to 50 percent for children born in the early 1980s.

U.S. students continue to lag behind peers in East Asia and Europe in reading, math and science, exams show

Unemployment ― One of the metrics where the United States looks better than Finland is the unemployment rate. The U.S. unemployment rate is 3.5 percent, a half-century low, and most Americans agree it is easier to find a job now. The unemployment rate in Finland is 6 percent. That said, the share of the population that works is slightly higher in Finland (66.2 percent) than in the United States (63.2 percent).

Life expectancy ― According to the World Health Organization, Finland ranks 21st for life expectancy with an average of 81.4 years. The United States ranks No. 34 with a life expectancy of 78.5. Finland also has much lower maternal death rates during childbirth compared to the United States, according to the CIA Factbook.

Health care cost ― The U.S. health care system spends more than $10,000 per person per year. Finland’s system spends $4,000 per person per year, according to the Health System Tracker. In Finland, health care is “free” because it is paid for by the government. There are some complaints of uneven care in Finland since the system is largely run at the municipal level, which means health care services can vary. There are also concerns about how to continue funding the Finnish system with an aging population. Still, there is overwhelming satisfaction with Finland’s system versus a slim majority of Americans (52 percent) who say they are satisfied with the U.S. quality of care.

.....SNIP"

[Claritie Pixie]

1. I had a friend who worked in Finland for 6 months on a green card.

Upon entering the country, he was given a healthcare card so he could obtain medical care. Shortly thereafter, he broke his leg. He was seen immediately, had excellent follow-up care and everything was free.

[NewbieInWonderland]

2. Um, yes, but...

Have you ever tried lutefisk? Aquavit? My Swedish Uncle Curley was a lot of fun, but a philanderer...

Finland has a higher rate of suicide than the US does. Plus an incomprehensible language.

Have you ever watched any of those Scandinavian dramas on Netflix?

My Norwegian friend, a very financially comfortable quadriplegic who liked to hang glide in the Alps, was smuggling a bullet into his home country, a big offense. I asked him why. He said because he might get caught.

Nirvana can be kind of stifling, just sayin'.

[moondust]

3. Ya but

how many multibillionaires do they have? Huh? Everybody knows that's the real measure of success!!!