Should we be more like Finland? Ann Partanem thinks we should. Partanen moved to the U.S. from Finland and went through cultural shock. In Finland, the government pays for all health care expenses. The government pays for College, too. Students also get a $600 per month stipend. Child care is subsidized. Crime rates are low. The elderly are supported by government aging programs. Poverty rates are very low. Ann Partanen makes a powerful argument for a better American lifestyle. I’d like to see some of the programs that obviously work in Finland tried out in the United States. What do you think? GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
In the land of the free: becoming American
The Nordic theory of love
Pippi Longstocking’s magic
Family values for real : strong individuals form a beautiful team
How children achieve : secrets for attaining educational success
Healthy body, healthy mind : how universal health care could set you free
Of us, by us, and for us : go ahead, ask what your country can do for you
The lands of opportunity : bringing back the American dream
Business as unusual : how to run a company in the twenty-first century
The pursuit of happiness : it’s time to rethink success.
It would certainly help US industries compete on an equal footing with foreign countries.
Dan, Ann Partanen writes, “Ask your Government what more they can do for you…and then have them do it!”
I hate to be pessimistic, but so much of the American character, for better or worse, is grounded in a notion of “rugged individualism” and, sadly, not as much thought for the “common good”, that I doubt Finland’s plan could gain traction here. Instead of focusing on the positives of the plan, I hear a whole litany of moans about raising taxes and giving people “free stuff”. Sigh.
Deb, my students were all for Bernie’s “Free College” plan which is similar to Finland’s. That might be a good place to start.
I like these ideas a lot but American will never pay the taxes they need to to get them. Those college students parents, for instance, won’t want to pay more once their kids aren’t profiting.
Patti, I agree that Americans are “tax-adverse.” And Ronald Reagan’s mantra, “Government is the problem,” still resonates with many voters. But life in Finland looks pretty good!
I think all those ideas make sense, especially caring for all the citizens who need it. Sadly, we have a system that is based on me, me, me. We have companies that are treated as people by the supreme court, and politicians who care nothing for those in need. We are so split right now over everything, common sense is out the window. If we got rid of some of the government waste, taxes wouldn’t have to be raised too much.
It sounds so good in theory, maybe if we divide into red US and blue US
Maggie, some states need to take the lead on providing services to their residents. People would vote with their feet to get quality health care and education.
Of course it makes sense, but it is never going to happen. Let’s not forget that Finland is a country of 5.5 MILLION people, 95% of whom are Finns. We have 325 MILLION from every country on Earth. Their country would be dwarfed by New York City’s 8 million plus.
Never, ever going to happen here.
Jeff, despite the differences between Finland and the U.S. I think we could “borrow” some of their programs–like education–that are working a lot better than ours.
What Patti said about taxes. U.S. voters are extremely anti-tax if it’s for anything not specifically to their advantage. (“Why should I pay for my neighbor’s teenager to go to college? Let his parents pay for it.”). The political climate here wouldn’t allow any congressperson to vote for doubled taxes in exchange for socialistic benefits. This is a concept that would have had to start in the mid-1800s to have been accepted.
Rick, Bernie the Socialist has a growing following. Some of these ideas that work in Finland might find some traction here.
In the populace, perhaps, but not in Congress where the changes would have to be made.
I agree that there are plenty of models that could conceivably work. But we’re a democracy and there are plenty of nay-sayers.
Every December, when I pay my taxes, there are folks bitching about paying school taxes when they don’t have any kids.
Beth, if I were running for Congressional office, I’d be pushing a plan for a national Lottery where the money would go to education and health care. That way the issue of paying taxes for services that you don’t use gets circumvented.
But when the states do exactly that, it turns out only about half the money actually gets to those places, the rest gets eaten up with admin costs including salaries, offices, advertising, etc. etc.
Rick, I agree that administering these social programs is a challenge. But the U.S. spends the most money of any country in the world on health care yet the results are mediocre.
Rick and Beth are right. Jackie worked with a teacher who voted with the rest of their town against paying for the local library, so it closed. Their kids were out of high school and they didn’t use it, so why should they pay for it?
Can you say short-sighted?
Jeff, self-interest is promoted in America rather than community. It’s everyone for themselves too often. Our advertising and marketing encourage greed over investment. How could you NOT support a library???
I agree. Your daughter is doing admirable work. But people like Trump promote a “me, me, everything for me” attitude.
Jeff, Diane and I tried to raise Patrick and Katie to be kind and not selfish. Notice that the ME-ME-ME people are rarely happy.
Rather than the government paying for everyone’s well being, how about mandating the tax-exempt churches pay for feeding the poor and housing the homeless?!
Bob, I’m suspicious of any “tax-exempt” organization.
So am I! But the money they save on not paying taxes ought to be used to help people other than the preachers, popes, and pimps!
Bob, I totally agree.
Actually it’s not only Finland but most of Europe which is based on that “Socialist model” – I think it was the conservative German chancellor Bismarck who accepted these ideas first. It was better to do this than have a revolution!
“Social security” includes all of this – I’ve always wondered why so many Americans can’t accept this: You help your brother when he’s in need and everybody should have the same chance for a good education – no matter who his parents are!
PS:
And of course this goes for girls too!
Wolf, many people dislike the whole idea of Social Security. Republicans have tried to dismantle it for decades. There’s a strong Social Darwinism streak in American conservatives. They believe firmly in “survival of the fittest.”