I'm extremely proud of my country. Denmark's US ambassador recently said that Denmark is terrible at PR; we have an amazing system, but we're too humble to promote it.
So here I am, on behalf of my country, standing tall and fleshing it out.
My country is fucking awesome. Everyone should be jealous that they're not living here. Everyone should more here. Why? Let me recite a few things that we have going for us:
- Free health care. Subsidies for medicine. Free psychological help for young people under the age of 25. Free health care coverage all over the world when you travel. No doctors fees.
And guess what: that system is much cheaper and better than the privately-funded system in the US.
- Great unemployment benefits. 2 years paid unemployment at 82% of your previous salary before getting fired. Every college student benefit from that system as well for 2 years, getting more than $4000 dollars every month. Not a loan, a benefit. Free gym membership for unemployed people. Free counseling for how to apply for jobs and how to change life-styles, and free help on quitting cigarettes.[/B]
- Every part of education is free of charge. From kindergarten to Ph.D. You receive ~$1200 every month as a student after you turn 18, no matter if you have a job or not. Workers are encouraged to take an education later in their lives by offering them 50% of their salary on top of the normal benefit, with a guarantee that you will get your job back when you return. Roughly 35% of all high school students achieve a masters degree, and that number is rising every year. Housing guarantee for students of higher education in big cities.[/B]
- Extensive pension benefits. A substantial public pension is paid to every person over the age of 67. Saving for retirement is encouraged, and raises your benefits from the government accordingly. Cheap housing options to elderly with little means are offered.[/B]
- Great infrastructure. Taxes are automatically deducted from your account. Checking and altering your own taxes are done online and is very simple. One of the lowest corruption levels in the world. Low wages for politicians. Many political parties that represent every part of the political structure. More than 85% of all Danes vote for elections and are very proud of our democracy.
- Stronger out of the financial crisis. When the 2008 financial crisis hit the western world, Denmark spent money that it had saved during the 90's and 00's, and used it to employ manual laborers by renovating roads, making more advanced internet connections, fixing old houses and beautifying the cultural scene in the country. People were encouraged to take an education, so they would have a better chance of getting a sustainable job.
- Political agreement on big decisions. Whenever a budget passes, or a big agreement goes through, usually the two isles of the parliament both sign off on it. That way the business community is more stabile, and less worried about changing governments. Politicians get along between party lines. Strict regulations on how much money can be spent during a campaign, completely transparent who donates to political parties, and how much they donate. Super PAC's are illegal.
I could go on forever.
Here's the kicker: our over-all taxation is not any higher than the average European country. Germany spends as much money on their public sector as we do, and they do not enjoy half of the benefits that we do.
My country is fucking boss. If education wasn't free, I would never be able to study at the University of Copenhagen. It is one of the best universities in Europe, and it is incredibly great. Our text books are all in English, and most of them are from Harvard or Oxford curricula.
I mean, it doesn't matter that much where. This is a journey and I love to see the world. I just don't know where to start.
