9 Crucial Ways Denmark is Superior to the US

[CarlinAnnArbor]

The evidence is quite compelling. Repubs like to think that both they, and the US, is superior to anyone else in the world but the truth is countries like Denmark are really just laughing at them.

1) Unemployed workers get 90% of their previous salary for two years.

Denmark has a tremendous social safety net for unemployed workers — any worker who worked at least 52 weeks over a three-year period can qualify to have 90 percent of their original salarypaid for, for up to two years. The Danish government also has plentiful training programs for out-of-work Danes. As a result, 73 percent of Danes between 15 and 64 have a paying job, compared to 67 percent of Americans.

2) Denmark spends far less on healthcare than the US does.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than in Denmark, where taxpayer-funded universal healthcare is available for all citizens.2009 OECD data shows that the U.S. spent an average of $7,290 per person on healthcare. Denmark spent just $3,512. World Bank data, as seen in the chart above, shows Danish healthcare costs are about $3,000 less per capita than in the US.

3) Denmark is the happiest place on Earth

The World Happiness Report, which determines which nation’s population is the “happiest” using criteria like life expectancy, GDP, social safety nets, as well as factors like “perception of corruption” and “freedom to make life choices,” found that Denmark was the happiest country. The US, in the meantime, ranked #17 on the same list.

4)Denmark has the shortest work week on average.

Denmark leads every other OECD nation in work-life balance. Danes work an average of 37 hours a week, earn an average of $46,000 USD annually, and have the right to 5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Here in the US, the average worker puts in an average of 47 hours a week, and only takes 16 days of vacation a year. This is largely due to a more stressful work climate, in which wages are stagnating while costs are rising. Combine that with a highly-competitive job market, and that means more Americans are willing to chain themselves to their desk then to risk taking vacation days and coming back to find someone else took their job.

5) Denmark pays students $900 per month to attend college.

Here in the US, the cost of going to college has soared by over 500 percent in the last 30 years. But in Denmark, not only is college free, but students are actually paid $900 USD per month to go to school, provided they live on their own. And this funding lasts up to six years. By contrast, the average US student pays over $31,000 a year in tuition to attend a private university, out-of-state residents at public universities pay $22,000 a year in tuition, and tuition costs for in-state residents at those same universities is still over $9,000.

6) Denmark has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

In Denmark, despite a short work week and a generous social safety net, workers make more than enough to meet basic needs. According to per capita income data from the World Bank, Denmark’s per capita income is roughly $5,000 higher than in the US.

7) Denmark has one of the lowest poverty rates. The US has one of the highest.

The benefits of living in Denmark are far-reaching — out of all OECD countries, Denmark has the second-lowest poverty rate at 0.6 percent. To compare, the OECD average of 11.3 percent is still lower than the 14.5 percent poverty rate in the US.

8) Denmark is rated #1 for best country for business

In 2014, Forbes ranked Denmark as the #1 best country for business.

Forbes used 11 different criteria to rank countries — innovation, property rights, red tape, taxes, investor protection, stock market performance, technology, corruption, personal freedom, freedom of trade, and monetary freedom.

Under the same criteria, the US ranked #18.

9) New parents in Denmark get 52 weeks of paid leave. US parents don't get shit.

The Danish government gives new parents an average of 52 weeks — a full year — of paid time off after having a child. Those 52 weeks can be allocated however the parents wish. In addition to the 52 weeks, new moms get 4 weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and 14 weeks after. Even new fathers get 2 additional weeks after the birth of their child. But here in the US, 1 in 4 new mothers go back to work within two weeks of having a child.

This is what Democratic Socialism really looks like. Is this the dystopian nightmare that Republicans are making it out to be, or an ideal vision of what Americans could have if we came together and demanded it from our government?


Here are 9 reasons Denmark's socialist economy leaves the US in the dust

AND..... they're almost 90% white. They share a common language, culture and history.

Glad to see you admire small WHITE nations

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

87% - Danish. Very homogeneus nation and they have ~30k in military personnel. What was the last great invention from Denmark? What big global job creating corporations have come from Denmark? Come on man. This thread is crazy.

Well, at least Denmark is rated as a very happy society.
I think that matters too.

Danes have had some good intellectuals, like Tycho Brahe, Niels Bohr, Nicholas Steno, and Kierkegaard.

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

87% - Danish. Very homogeneus nation and they have ~30k in military personnel. What was the last great invention from Denmark? What big global job creating corporations have come from Denmark? Come on man. This thread is crazy.

Well, at least Denmark is rated as a very happy society.
I think that matters too.

Danes have had some good intellectuals, like Tycho Brahe, Niels Bohr, Nicholas Steno, and Kierkegaard.

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

The only real problem they have, like most European nations, is that Muzzie population they believe they're obligated to take in.

 

[Polishprince]

87% - Danish. Very homogeneus nation and they have ~30k in military personnel. What was the last great invention from Denmark? What big global job creating corporations have come from Denmark? Come on man. This thread is crazy.

Well, at least Denmark is rated as a very happy society.
I think that matters too.

Danes have had some good intellectuals, like Tycho Brahe, Niels Bohr, Nicholas Steno, and Kierkegaard.

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

The only real problem they have, like most European nations, is that Muzzie population they believe they're obligated to take in.

Your more forward looking countries like Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia aren't taking in the massive amounts of supposed "refugees".

 

[Markle]

Denmark didn't have many Black slaves....They were one of the smallest players in the Atlantic Slave Trade...

What is the cutoff for going back in history for slavery to be relevant today?

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

87% - Danish. Very homogeneus nation and they have ~30k in military personnel. What was the last great invention from Denmark? What big global job creating corporations have come from Denmark? Come on man. This thread is crazy.

Well, at least Denmark is rated as a very happy society.
I think that matters too.

Danes have had some good intellectuals, like Tycho Brahe, Niels Bohr, Nicholas Steno, and Kierkegaard.

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

The only real problem they have, like most European nations, is that Muzzie population they believe they're obligated to take in.

Your more forward looking countries like Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia aren't taking in the massive amounts of supposed "refugees".

Poland's taking in "Refugees" from Ukraine, but then again Ukrainians aren't Islamists.

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

87% - Danish. Very homogeneus nation and they have ~30k in military personnel. What was the last great invention from Denmark? What big global job creating corporations have come from Denmark? Come on man. This thread is crazy.

Well, at least Denmark is rated as a very happy society.
I think that matters too.

Danes have had some good intellectuals, like Tycho Brahe, Niels Bohr, Nicholas Steno, and Kierkegaard.

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

The only real problem they have, like most European nations, is that Muzzie population they believe they're obligated to take in.

Your more forward looking countries like Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia aren't taking in the massive amounts of supposed "refugees".

Poland's taking in "Refugees" from Ukraine, but then again Ukrainians aren't Islamists.

Eastern Europe is doing it right. If other nations followed that example, their own natives wouldnt have to flee.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

The evidence is quite compelling. Repubs like to think that both they, and the US, is superior to anyone else in the world but the truth is countries like Denmark are really just laughing at them.

1) Unemployed workers get 90% of their previous salary for two years.

Denmark has a tremendous social safety net for unemployed workers — any worker who worked at least 52 weeks over a three-year period can qualify to have 90 percent of their original salarypaid for, for up to two years. The Danish government also has plentiful training programs for out-of-work Danes. As a result, 73 percent of Danes between 15 and 64 have a paying job, compared to 67 percent of Americans.

2) Denmark spends far less on healthcare than the US does.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than in Denmark, where taxpayer-funded universal healthcare is available for all citizens.2009 OECD data shows that the U.S. spent an average of $7,290 per person on healthcare. Denmark spent just $3,512. World Bank data, as seen in the chart above, shows Danish healthcare costs are about $3,000 less per capita than in the US.

3) Denmark is the happiest place on Earth

The World Happiness Report, which determines which nation’s population is the “happiest” using criteria like life expectancy, GDP, social safety nets, as well as factors like “perception of corruption” and “freedom to make life choices,” found that Denmark was the happiest country. The US, in the meantime, ranked #17 on the same list.

4)Denmark has the shortest work week on average.

Denmark leads every other OECD nation in work-life balance. Danes work an average of 37 hours a week, earn an average of $46,000 USD annually, and have the right to 5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Here in the US, the average worker puts in an average of 47 hours a week, and only takes 16 days of vacation a year. This is largely due to a more stressful work climate, in which wages are stagnating while costs are rising. Combine that with a highly-competitive job market, and that means more Americans are willing to chain themselves to their desk then to risk taking vacation days and coming back to find someone else took their job.

5) Denmark pays students $900 per month to attend college.

Here in the US, the cost of going to college has soared by over 500 percent in the last 30 years. But in Denmark, not only is college free, but students are actually paid $900 USD per month to go to school, provided they live on their own. And this funding lasts up to six years. By contrast, the average US student pays over $31,000 a year in tuition to attend a private university, out-of-state residents at public universities pay $22,000 a year in tuition, and tuition costs for in-state residents at those same universities is still over $9,000.

6) Denmark has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

In Denmark, despite a short work week and a generous social safety net, workers make more than enough to meet basic needs. According to per capita income data from the World Bank, Denmark’s per capita income is roughly $5,000 higher than in the US.

7) Denmark has one of the lowest poverty rates. The US has one of the highest.

The benefits of living in Denmark are far-reaching — out of all OECD countries, Denmark has the second-lowest poverty rate at 0.6 percent. To compare, the OECD average of 11.3 percent is still lower than the 14.5 percent poverty rate in the US.

8) Denmark is rated #1 for best country for business

In 2014, Forbes ranked Denmark as the #1 best country for business.

Forbes used 11 different criteria to rank countries — innovation, property rights, red tape, taxes, investor protection, stock market performance, technology, corruption, personal freedom, freedom of trade, and monetary freedom.

Under the same criteria, the US ranked #18.

9) New parents in Denmark get 52 weeks of paid leave. US parents don't get shit.

The Danish government gives new parents an average of 52 weeks — a full year — of paid time off after having a child. Those 52 weeks can be allocated however the parents wish. In addition to the 52 weeks, new moms get 4 weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and 14 weeks after. Even new fathers get 2 additional weeks after the birth of their child. But here in the US, 1 in 4 new mothers go back to work within two weeks of having a child.

This is what Democratic Socialism really looks like. Is this the dystopian nightmare that Republicans are making it out to be, or an ideal vision of what Americans could have if we came together and demanded it from our government?


Here are 9 reasons Denmark's socialist economy leaves the US in the dust

AND..... they're almost 90% white. They share a common language, culture and history.

Glad to see you admire small WHITE nations

Homogeneous societies tend to act, and think more similar to one another.
The exact opposite leads to turmoil, and unhappiness.

I don't know why the Multiculturalist lovers don't grasp it, they're not all too bright.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

Well, at least Denmark is rated as a very happy society.
I think that matters too.

Danes have had some good intellectuals, like Tycho Brahe, Niels Bohr, Nicholas Steno, and Kierkegaard.

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

The only real problem they have, like most European nations, is that Muzzie population they believe they're obligated to take in.

Your more forward looking countries like Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia aren't taking in the massive amounts of supposed "refugees".

Poland's taking in "Refugees" from Ukraine, but then again Ukrainians aren't Islamists.

Eastern Europe is doing it right. If other nations followed that example, their own natives wouldnt have to flee.

The only exception is Russia, which has millions of Muslim migrants, and Muslim Illegals from Central-Asia.

Russia also ranks very low in happiness, and very high in alcoholism, abortion, drug abuse, suicide, murder, and HIV / AIDS by European standards.

Russia's got a lot of problems....

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

Beverly Hills is happy too. Whoopti Doo. Denmark is a tiny homogeneous nation. So you’re saying they should keep it that way?

The only real problem they have, like most European nations, is that Muzzie population they believe they're obligated to take in.

Your more forward looking countries like Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia aren't taking in the massive amounts of supposed "refugees".

Poland's taking in "Refugees" from Ukraine, but then again Ukrainians aren't Islamists.

Eastern Europe is doing it right. If other nations followed that example, their own natives wouldnt have to flee.

The only exception is Russia, which has millions of Muslim migrants, and Muslim Illegals from Central-Asia.

Russia also ranks very low in happiness, and very high in alcoholism, abortion, drug abuse, suicide, murder, and HIV / AIDS by European standards.

Russia's got a lot of problems....

Yep. Absolutely.

 

[Markle]

For the most part.
However.
High-speed rail between Boston, Hartford, Bridgeport, NYC, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC.... Would probably make a lot of sense...

Absolutely, we should do that someday!

 

[Kondor3]

The evidence is quite compelling. Repubs like to think that both they, and the US, is superior to anyone else in the world but the truth is countries like Denmark are really just laughing at them.

1) Unemployed workers get 90% of their previous salary for two years.

Denmark has a tremendous social safety net for unemployed workers — any worker who worked at least 52 weeks over a three-year period can qualify to have 90 percent of their original salarypaid for, for up to two years. The Danish government also has plentiful training programs for out-of-work Danes. As a result, 73 percent of Danes between 15 and 64 have a paying job, compared to 67 percent of Americans.

2) Denmark spends far less on healthcare than the US does.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than in Denmark, where taxpayer-funded universal healthcare is available for all citizens.2009 OECD data shows that the U.S. spent an average of $7,290 per person on healthcare. Denmark spent just $3,512. World Bank data, as seen in the chart above, shows Danish healthcare costs are about $3,000 less per capita than in the US.

3) Denmark is the happiest place on Earth

The World Happiness Report, which determines which nation’s population is the “happiest” using criteria like life expectancy, GDP, social safety nets, as well as factors like “perception of corruption” and “freedom to make life choices,” found that Denmark was the happiest country. The US, in the meantime, ranked #17 on the same list.

4)Denmark has the shortest work week on average.

Denmark leads every other OECD nation in work-life balance. Danes work an average of 37 hours a week, earn an average of $46,000 USD annually, and have the right to 5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Here in the US, the average worker puts in an average of 47 hours a week, and only takes 16 days of vacation a year. This is largely due to a more stressful work climate, in which wages are stagnating while costs are rising. Combine that with a highly-competitive job market, and that means more Americans are willing to chain themselves to their desk then to risk taking vacation days and coming back to find someone else took their job.

5) Denmark pays students $900 per month to attend college.

Here in the US, the cost of going to college has soared by over 500 percent in the last 30 years. But in Denmark, not only is college free, but students are actually paid $900 USD per month to go to school, provided they live on their own. And this funding lasts up to six years. By contrast, the average US student pays over $31,000 a year in tuition to attend a private university, out-of-state residents at public universities pay $22,000 a year in tuition, and tuition costs for in-state residents at those same universities is still over $9,000.

6) Denmark has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

In Denmark, despite a short work week and a generous social safety net, workers make more than enough to meet basic needs. According to per capita income data from the World Bank, Denmark’s per capita income is roughly $5,000 higher than in the US.

7) Denmark has one of the lowest poverty rates. The US has one of the highest.

The benefits of living in Denmark are far-reaching — out of all OECD countries, Denmark has the second-lowest poverty rate at 0.6 percent. To compare, the OECD average of 11.3 percent is still lower than the 14.5 percent poverty rate in the US.

8) Denmark is rated #1 for best country for business

In 2014, Forbes ranked Denmark as the #1 best country for business.

Forbes used 11 different criteria to rank countries — innovation, property rights, red tape, taxes, investor protection, stock market performance, technology, corruption, personal freedom, freedom of trade, and monetary freedom.

Under the same criteria, the US ranked #18.

9) New parents in Denmark get 52 weeks of paid leave. US parents don't get shit.

The Danish government gives new parents an average of 52 weeks — a full year — of paid time off after having a child. Those 52 weeks can be allocated however the parents wish. In addition to the 52 weeks, new moms get 4 weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and 14 weeks after. Even new fathers get 2 additional weeks after the birth of their child. But here in the US, 1 in 4 new mothers go back to work within two weeks of having a child.

This is what Democratic Socialism really looks like. Is this the dystopian nightmare that Republicans are making it out to be, or an ideal vision of what Americans could have if we came together and demanded it from our government?


Here are 9 reasons Denmark's socialist economy leaves the US in the dust

The Danes also are not obliged to spend much on national defense.

They, like most of Europe, have been crouched under the American Shield for the past 70+ years.

It's easy to divert more of your national wealth to social service programming when you're being defended by others.

15K active-duty in their entire national defense force?

Hell, the Rhode Island chapter of the Girl Scouts could have taken them out.

They wouldn't have lasted a week against the Rooooskies.

That's why we did it... why we held (and hold) the American Shield over Europe.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

For the most part.
However.
High-speed rail between Boston, Hartford, Bridgeport, NYC, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC.... Would probably make a lot of sense...

Absolutely, we should do that someday!

In Europe they have much higher speed rail than in the USA.

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

The evidence is quite compelling. Repubs like to think that both they, and the US, is superior to anyone else in the world but the truth is countries like Denmark are really just laughing at them.

1) Unemployed workers get 90% of their previous salary for two years.

Denmark has a tremendous social safety net for unemployed workers — any worker who worked at least 52 weeks over a three-year period can qualify to have 90 percent of their original salarypaid for, for up to two years. The Danish government also has plentiful training programs for out-of-work Danes. As a result, 73 percent of Danes between 15 and 64 have a paying job, compared to 67 percent of Americans.

2) Denmark spends far less on healthcare than the US does.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than in Denmark, where taxpayer-funded universal healthcare is available for all citizens.2009 OECD data shows that the U.S. spent an average of $7,290 per person on healthcare. Denmark spent just $3,512. World Bank data, as seen in the chart above, shows Danish healthcare costs are about $3,000 less per capita than in the US.

3) Denmark is the happiest place on Earth

The World Happiness Report, which determines which nation’s population is the “happiest” using criteria like life expectancy, GDP, social safety nets, as well as factors like “perception of corruption” and “freedom to make life choices,” found that Denmark was the happiest country. The US, in the meantime, ranked #17 on the same list.

4)Denmark has the shortest work week on average.

Denmark leads every other OECD nation in work-life balance. Danes work an average of 37 hours a week, earn an average of $46,000 USD annually, and have the right to 5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Here in the US, the average worker puts in an average of 47 hours a week, and only takes 16 days of vacation a year. This is largely due to a more stressful work climate, in which wages are stagnating while costs are rising. Combine that with a highly-competitive job market, and that means more Americans are willing to chain themselves to their desk then to risk taking vacation days and coming back to find someone else took their job.

5) Denmark pays students $900 per month to attend college.

Here in the US, the cost of going to college has soared by over 500 percent in the last 30 years. But in Denmark, not only is college free, but students are actually paid $900 USD per month to go to school, provided they live on their own. And this funding lasts up to six years. By contrast, the average US student pays over $31,000 a year in tuition to attend a private university, out-of-state residents at public universities pay $22,000 a year in tuition, and tuition costs for in-state residents at those same universities is still over $9,000.

6) Denmark has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

In Denmark, despite a short work week and a generous social safety net, workers make more than enough to meet basic needs. According to per capita income data from the World Bank, Denmark’s per capita income is roughly $5,000 higher than in the US.

7) Denmark has one of the lowest poverty rates. The US has one of the highest.

The benefits of living in Denmark are far-reaching — out of all OECD countries, Denmark has the second-lowest poverty rate at 0.6 percent. To compare, the OECD average of 11.3 percent is still lower than the 14.5 percent poverty rate in the US.

8) Denmark is rated #1 for best country for business

In 2014, Forbes ranked Denmark as the #1 best country for business.

Forbes used 11 different criteria to rank countries — innovation, property rights, red tape, taxes, investor protection, stock market performance, technology, corruption, personal freedom, freedom of trade, and monetary freedom.

Under the same criteria, the US ranked #18.

9) New parents in Denmark get 52 weeks of paid leave. US parents don't get shit.

The Danish government gives new parents an average of 52 weeks — a full year — of paid time off after having a child. Those 52 weeks can be allocated however the parents wish. In addition to the 52 weeks, new moms get 4 weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and 14 weeks after. Even new fathers get 2 additional weeks after the birth of their child. But here in the US, 1 in 4 new mothers go back to work within two weeks of having a child.

This is what Democratic Socialism really looks like. Is this the dystopian nightmare that Republicans are making it out to be, or an ideal vision of what Americans could have if we came together and demanded it from our government?


Here are 9 reasons Denmark's socialist economy leaves the US in the dust

The Danes also are not obliged to spend much on national defense.

They, like most of Europe, have been crouched under the American Shield for the past 70+ years.

It's easy to divert more of your national wealth to social service programming when you're being defended by others.

America isn't obligated to spend near 1/2 (Half) of the World's military budget, either.

 

[Kondor3]

...America isn't obligated to spend near 1/2 (Half) of the World's military budget, either.

If we hadn't you'd still be kissing Russian ass...

 

[SobieskiSavedEurope]

...America isn't obligated to spend near 1/2 (Half) of the World's military budget, either.

If we hadn't you'd still be kissing Russian ass...

There's no need for the USA to spend more on military than Russia, China, India, Germany, UK, and France combined.

Actually, Soviet Russia overspent, and overextended themselves militarily in Afghanistan.... That's a main reason for their collapse.

Obviously America has not learned from this, but seems to have modeled off of this.

 

[Kilroy2]

Denmark vs United States: Military Facts and Stats

Armed forces

22,000
Ranked 92nd.

1.37 million
Ranked 3rd.

They do not need to spend a whole lot of money on the military so they have extra money that can go to social programs.

 

[forkup]

Denmark's population is around 5.8 million people. It also has a central bank and it's debt is around 36% of their GDP. and the tax rate is around 56%..........

It is absurd to suggest that our nation is incapable of emulating European nations.

It is absurd to believe that you could use the socialist model of a country of 5.8 million and apply it to a country that has 360 million people with 30 million illegals that are poorly skilled, poorly educated. Denmark is 16,777 square miles, America is 3.797 million square miles with a very diverse population.

Actually I'm European and our population is just as diverse. The people coming in have different origins. (Syrians,Moroccons, Turks not to mention other African nations instead of South Americans.) It does not however take down our standard of living. As to education. That's why you have an affordable education systems.

No, just no.

A lot of Whites in the USA come from different backgrounds, and then there's a ton more Blacks, and Latinos.

All people come from different backgrounds. 6 Generations ago my ancestors were Italian. 500 hundred generations ago probably African. The point of the remark was that we have a big CURRENT influx of immigrants that put our social security system under stress. That stress tough doesn't lower our standard of living.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Denmark vs United States: Military Facts and Stats

Armed forces

22,000
Ranked 92nd.

1.37 million
Ranked 3rd.

They do not need to spend a whole lot of money on the military so they have extra money that can go to social programs.

Why don't they need to spend a lot of money on their military?


Answer: US taxpayers.


.

 

[Bush92]

The evidence is quite compelling. Repubs like to think that both they, and the US, is superior to anyone else in the world but the truth is countries like Denmark are really just laughing at them.

1) Unemployed workers get 90% of their previous salary for two years.

Denmark has a tremendous social safety net for unemployed workers — any worker who worked at least 52 weeks over a three-year period can qualify to have 90 percent of their original salarypaid for, for up to two years. The Danish government also has plentiful training programs for out-of-work Danes. As a result, 73 percent of Danes between 15 and 64 have a paying job, compared to 67 percent of Americans.

2) Denmark spends far less on healthcare than the US does.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), the US spends twice as much per capita on healthcare than in Denmark, where taxpayer-funded universal healthcare is available for all citizens.2009 OECD data shows that the U.S. spent an average of $7,290 per person on healthcare. Denmark spent just $3,512. World Bank data, as seen in the chart above, shows Danish healthcare costs are about $3,000 less per capita than in the US.

3) Denmark is the happiest place on Earth

The World Happiness Report, which determines which nation’s population is the “happiest” using criteria like life expectancy, GDP, social safety nets, as well as factors like “perception of corruption” and “freedom to make life choices,” found that Denmark was the happiest country. The US, in the meantime, ranked #17 on the same list.

4)Denmark has the shortest work week on average.

Denmark leads every other OECD nation in work-life balance. Danes work an average of 37 hours a week, earn an average of $46,000 USD annually, and have the right to 5 weeks of paid vacation per year. Here in the US, the average worker puts in an average of 47 hours a week, and only takes 16 days of vacation a year. This is largely due to a more stressful work climate, in which wages are stagnating while costs are rising. Combine that with a highly-competitive job market, and that means more Americans are willing to chain themselves to their desk then to risk taking vacation days and coming back to find someone else took their job.

5) Denmark pays students $900 per month to attend college.

Here in the US, the cost of going to college has soared by over 500 percent in the last 30 years. But in Denmark, not only is college free, but students are actually paid $900 USD per month to go to school, provided they live on their own. And this funding lasts up to six years. By contrast, the average US student pays over $31,000 a year in tuition to attend a private university, out-of-state residents at public universities pay $22,000 a year in tuition, and tuition costs for in-state residents at those same universities is still over $9,000.

6) Denmark has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

In Denmark, despite a short work week and a generous social safety net, workers make more than enough to meet basic needs. According to per capita income data from the World Bank, Denmark’s per capita income is roughly $5,000 higher than in the US.

7) Denmark has one of the lowest poverty rates. The US has one of the highest.

The benefits of living in Denmark are far-reaching — out of all OECD countries, Denmark has the second-lowest poverty rate at 0.6 percent. To compare, the OECD average of 11.3 percent is still lower than the 14.5 percent poverty rate in the US.

8) Denmark is rated #1 for best country for business

In 2014, Forbes ranked Denmark as the #1 best country for business.

Forbes used 11 different criteria to rank countries — innovation, property rights, red tape, taxes, investor protection, stock market performance, technology, corruption, personal freedom, freedom of trade, and monetary freedom.

Under the same criteria, the US ranked #18.

9) New parents in Denmark get 52 weeks of paid leave. US parents don't get shit.

The Danish government gives new parents an average of 52 weeks — a full year — of paid time off after having a child. Those 52 weeks can be allocated however the parents wish. In addition to the 52 weeks, new moms get 4 weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and 14 weeks after. Even new fathers get 2 additional weeks after the birth of their child. But here in the US, 1 in 4 new mothers go back to work within two weeks of having a child.

This is what Democratic Socialism really looks like. Is this the dystopian nightmare that Republicans are making it out to be, or an ideal vision of what Americans could have if we came together and demanded it from our government?


Here are 9 reasons Denmark's socialist economy leaves the US in the dust

They have Carlsburg beer. That’s it.