NationStates Jolt Archive

Despite being constantly critisised by some on here for "high taxes" and "socialist policies" (usually intended in a purjarative sense), the Nordic Countries have come out as some of the world's most competitive countries according to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report for 2004.

According to WEF, "The Global Competitiveness Report is a contribution to enhancing our understanding of the key factors which determine economic growth, and explain why some countries are so much more successful than others in raising income levels and opportunities for their respective populations, and in joining the upper ranks of international competitiveness."

Here are the top 16 ranking countries with the Nordic countries (bold) not doing badly at all!...


1. Finland
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Taiwan
5. Denmark
6. Norway
7. Singapore
8. Switzerland
9.Japan
10.Iceland
11.United Kingdom
12.Netherlands
13.Germany
14.Australia
15.Canada
16. UAE

The report would seem to suggest that it takes a more rounded approach to economic policy than just low tax, low regulation to achieve success.

Despite being constantly critisised by some on here for "high taxes" and "socialist policies" (usually intended in a purjarative sense), the Nordic Countries have come out as some of the world's most competitive countries according to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report for 2004.

According to WEF, "The Global Competitiveness Report is a contribution to enhancing our understanding of the key factors which determine economic growth, and explain why some countries are so much more successful than others in raising income levels and opportunities for their respective populations, and in joining the upper ranks of international competitiveness."

Here are the top 16 ranking countries with the Nordic countries (bold) not doing badly at all!...


1. Finland
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Taiwan
5. Denmark
6. Norway
7. Singapore
8. Switzerland
9.Japan
10.Iceland
11.United Kingdom
12.Netherlands
13.Germany
14.Australia
15.Canada
16. UAE

The report would seem to suggest that it takes a more rounded approach to economic policy than just low tax, low regulation to achieve success.

Very interesting! I agree ... not bad at all.

I find it fascinating that the United Arab Emirates is at Number 16.

Finland is the second laziest nation in the world (surpassed - if you want to call it that - by Germany) and is rather tiny, without many of the big corporate entities needed to give it real buying power.

What critera was this based on?


PS: First world nation. Second laziest first world nation.

Finland is the second laziest nation in the world (surpassed - if you want to call it that - by Germany) and is rather tiny, without many of the big corporate entities needed to give it real buying power.
I can name one Finnish corporate giant just off the top of my head - Nokia.

Finland is the second laziest nation in the world (surpassed - if you want to call it that - by Germany) and is rather tiny, without many of the big corporate entities needed to give it real buying power.

What critera was this based on?

Second laziest?? On what basis, surely that's somewhere manana ish, like Spain (only joking Spaniards...)

It's based on a worldwide survey of business leaders. Finland has apparently been top for 3 of the last 4 years.

There's a report about it on BBC News website here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3737410.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3737410.stm)

This shows that neither capitalism nor socialism is best alone. The best system is the mix of the two found in Scandinavian countries.

Finland is the second laziest nation in the world (surpassed - if you want to call it that - by Germany) and is rather tiny, without many of the big corporate entities needed to give it real buying power.


I believe it's relative to a country's size, so obviously somewhere bigger like Japan would have more big corporate entities numerically.

The report captures the competitiveness of the country for businesses.

Second laziest?? On what basis

Man Hours per Capita and Vaction time. The US leads in terms of this measure of industriousness, Asian nations having lost their leads to progressive labor movements.

Despite being constantly critisised by some on here for "high taxes" and "socialist policies" (usually intended in a purjarative sense), the Nordic Countries have come out as some of the world's most competitive countries according to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report for 2004.

According to WEF, "The Global Competitiveness Report is a contribution to enhancing our understanding of the key factors which determine economic growth, and explain why some countries are so much more successful than others in raising income levels and opportunities for their respective populations, and in joining the upper ranks of international competitiveness."

Here are the top 16 ranking countries with the Nordic countries (bold) not doing badly at all!...


1. Finland
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Taiwan
5. Denmark
6. Norway
7. Singapore
8. Switzerland
9.Japan
10.Iceland
11.United Kingdom
12.Netherlands
13.Germany
14.Australia
15.Canada
16. UAE

The report would seem to suggest that it takes a more rounded approach to economic policy than just low tax, low regulation to achieve success.


I would really like to know what criteria they used. I find it surprising that the USA is in the top 5 given the state of regulation in this country.

Man Hours per Capita and Vaction time. The US leads in terms of this measure of industriousness, Asian nations having lost their leads to progressive labor movements.

It always amazes me when Americans (or anyone to be fair) suggests that a lack of vacation time is a positive attribute! Do your workers have any rights?

Linux is just one of the great technologies to come out of scandinavia. I guess when it's freezing most of the time all you can do is write kernels. Of course I'm doing that and I live in Florida.

I believe it's relative to a country's size, so obviously somewhere bigger like Japan would have more big corporate entities numerically.

The report captures the competitiveness of the country for businesses.

Huh? SIngapore, Switzerland, Finland, The United Arab Emirates???? Please take another look at the list.

I would really like to know what criteria they used. I find it surprising that the USA is in the top 5 given the state of regulation in this country.
Speaks well for the industriousness, creativity and dedication of our workforce, eh? :)

It always amazes me when Americans (or anyone to be fair) suggests that a lack of vacation time is a positive attribute! Do your workers have any rights?

Just because we work hard doesnt mean we dont have rights. A lot of the overtime is voluntary. And even then we still lose jobs because of regulation. US workers work long hours partially due to the fact that they are overpaid and ever more greedy. Although it is true that there has been some retaliation against labor-unions, especially in unskilled sectors, where the signutare response is now "ok, we will just not employ you anymore."

Despite being constantly critisised by some on here for "high taxes" and "socialist policies" (usually intended in a purjarative sense), the Nordic Countries have come out as some of the world's most competitive countries according to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report for 2004.

According to WEF, "The Global Competitiveness Report is a contribution to enhancing our understanding of the key factors which determine economic growth, and explain why some countries are so much more successful than others in raising income levels and opportunities for their respective populations, and in joining the upper ranks of international competitiveness."

Here are the top 16 ranking countries with the Nordic countries (bold) not doing badly at all!...


1. Finland
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Taiwan
5. Denmark
6. Norway
7. Singapore
8. Switzerland
9.Japan
10.Iceland
11.United Kingdom
12.Netherlands
13.Germany
14.Australia
15.Canada
16. UAE

The report would seem to suggest that it takes a more rounded approach to economic policy than just low tax, low regulation to achieve success.
The Scandanavian countries seem to be the only countries on the entire planet where a mixed economy is truely all things to all people (my bet is because they are small, yet blessed with resources and a democratic tradition). Otherwise, some of the purest free markets, like the US and Singapore, are in the top ten. Not even Japan is as lofty on that list as it used to be. But anyhow, congrats to Finland. It's no wonder why Finland came this far economically since WWII.

I find it fascinating that the United Arab Emirates is at Number 16.
It's probably because of Dubai. The UAE is made of seven semi-autonomous sheikdoms, and Dubai has the one with the best free market, as well as plenty of rights for the people, and an educated populace. It doesn't have a drop of oil, yet it's the wealthiest of the sheikdoms.

Speaks well for the industriousness, creativity and dedication of our workforce, eh? :)


It does. It speaks better for our system(despite its flaws). We take people who were scaping by in other countries and turn them into hard working innovative citizens.

It always amazes me when Americans (or anyone to be fair) suggests that a lack of vacation time is a positive attribute! Do your workers have any rights?
Well, most Americans feel guilty taking more than two weeks of vacation, which I find is unfair. But in Italy, it's up to six weeks. I find that to be extremely excessive.

... the Nordic Countries have come out as some of the world's most competitive countries ...Interesante...tiene un LINK por favor...

Well, most Americans feel guilty taking more than two weeks of vacation ...

Well, I use to take all I could get! Now, being on permanent "vacation" I'd take all the WORK I could get! Sigh.

The list doesn't surprise me one bit. Well except for Taiwan.

I note that Finland has won 3 years running. Has Finland's economy been growing rapidly over this period, or is this poll just describing the levels of complacency in each country?

Well, most Americans feel guilty taking more than two weeks of vacation, which I find is unfair. But in Italy, it's up to six weeks. I find that to be extremely excessive.

I can't imagine being on vacation for six weeks. Frankly I can't imagine being on vacation for two weeks. Give me the week between Christmas and New Year's and the occasional weekend trip and I am good to go.

I can't imagine being on vacation for six weeks. Frankly I can't imagine being on vacation for two weeks. Give me the week between Christmas and New Year's and the occasional weekend trip and I am good to go.

Funnily enough I had a guy from a USA based company (in North-Carolina) visit me today at work, and he was on holiday here, but said he had to put in a couple of business meetings or he felt weird..... hmm.

The list doesn't surprise me one bit. Well except for Taiwan.

Why is that?

This shows that neither capitalism nor socialism is best alone. The best system is the mix of the two found in Scandinavian countries.

It shows they are hard working. If they were not, their system would not work as well. Of course, no system works when the people are lazy bastards.

Funnily enough I had a guy from a USA based company (in North-Carolina) visit me today at work, and he was on holiday here, but said he had to put in a couple of business meetings or he felt weird..... hmm.

I've heard that Europeans vacationing in the U.S. feel guilty telling Americans how long they're on vacation for, knowing that Americans take nowhere near the same vacation time as Europeans...hell, the Japanese and Horeans take far more vacation than Americans, and that's fucking scary...

Interesting. Also interesting are some comments relating these rankings to how much people work in each country. Well, this is a competitiveness report, not a productivity report.

What this report intends to do is show which countries have a better potential for medium-term competitiveness growth and it does so by assigning values to three things: technology, macroeconomy and public institutions. With Nordic countries being exceptionally well managed economies with high regard for law and order and very technified, it's no wonder that they come out ahead in the report.

Are they in a position to realize this potential? To answer that question there is the business competitiveness report, which ranks countries based on the current short-term microeconomic, and sophistication of business. Between those two you get a much better idea of where countries stand. And Nordic countries still figure in the top 10.

It's very notable that the US wouldn't even make the top 10 of the growth competitiveness list if it wasn't for the incredible amount of technification. When it comes to public institutions and macroeconomic handling it's on places 21 and 15 respectively. Short-term it looks much better and that means the US still has a chance to get things rearranged and ensure economic viability in the long-term.

Does it matter that people work more or less here or there? Not that much, really. It's actually how efficiently people work and how much they produce by unit of time. And on top of that you have to add quality of life (i.e. can people live at a certain level with what they earn?). Those are numbers outside the scope of this report.

It shows they are hard working. If they were not, their system would not work as well. Of course, no system works when the people are lazy bastards.
Hmm, as many of you know I am swede, so I might at least speak for our third position. I find it REALLY strange. Swedish holidays are still based on the sole purpose that the workers can go and help with the harvest, around 6 weeks of vacation isn't unusual for adults and kids may have as mush as ten-twelve weeks from school during a year. On ereason may be that the social democrats finally found a tax that they could lower a bit with out having the left party jumping out of the coalition, the company taxes. According to several papers Sweden during the year 2004 been more popular to register businesses in than many of the Channel islands. That doesn't explain the fact that we were third last year as well though. Generally for the nordic countries, the workforce is very well-educated. There are not as much non academic jobs to do as in US. Perhaps an economy based on the fact that a public shool garantuees a proper education for all (in Sweden highschool is free and garatueed as well, I think that is the case for the other scandinavian countries too) is the answer?

Generally for the nordic countries, the workforce is very well-educated. There are not as much non academic jobs to do as in US. Perhaps an economy based on the fact that a public shool garantuees a proper education for all (in Sweden highschool is free and garatueed as well, I think that is the case for the other scandinavian countries too) is the answer?

The US is losing its unskilled labor to foreign investment from US companies where labor is cheaper. Some of the skilled labor too, but i think that loss will be temporary.

US has free and guaranteed highschool, and you shouldnt confuse good education with good skills. The US education welfare system is very diffrent from the one you know. There are some military and private colleges with free tuition, but the main method of insuring higher education here seems to be a complicated program of providing large cash rewards to good performers when they reach College, helping assure that the best students are the ones who get this welfare, and taking the burden off govt. Also, the USA generally teaches a wider variety of courses than most other nations, so you can end up with invaluable "Cuban Doctor" style specialists in greater numbers than seen elsewhere.

Hmm, as many of you know I am swede, so I might at least speak for our third position. I find it REALLY strange. Swedish holidays are still based on the sole purpose that the workers can go and help with the harvest, around 6 weeks of vacation isn't unusual for adults and kids may have as mush as ten-twelve weeks from school during a year.

Perhaps when you are at work, you actually work. People spend a great deal of time at the office but are not doing anything worthwhile. Take me for example, I'm posting in this forum from my cubicle. I could accomplish everything in six hours easily if I just buckled down and did it.

US has free and guaranteed highschool, and you shouldnt confuse good education with good skills. The US education welfare system is very diffrent from the one you know. There are some military and private colleges with free tuition, but the main method of insuring higher education here seems to be a complicated program of providing large cash rewards to good performers when they reach College, helping assure that the best students are the ones who get this welfare, and taking the burden off govt.
This reminds me... I've always been kinda curious. What is the cost of tuition at an American University? I looked into one when I was picking schools, and the cost was about 36,000 or so (Including room and board), now I'm not sure if that was because I'd have been an international student or the school was just more expensive than most.. anyway, that's a lot more than in Canada. Tuition (not including rent and what have you) costs around $5000 a year here, varying according to the program. (Between 5-6 or so at the Univesity I attend. For Law and Commerce, the costs are closer to 10, and over 12 for Medicine) So, what's the cost? Ballpark figure?

This shows that neither capitalism nor socialism is best alone. The best system is the mix of the two found in Scandinavian countries.

Can't agree more, but by UN and OESO standards, the US is lower on the ranking (9) and Holland is higher, Belgium is not mentioned here but it is by those standards at place 7, thus higher then Holland.

This reminds me... I've always been kinda curious. What is the cost of tuition at an American University? I looked into one when I was picking schools, and the cost was about 36,000 or so (Including room and board), now I'm not sure if that was because I'd have been an international student or the school was just more expensive than most.. anyway, that's a lot more than in Canada. Tuition (not including rent and what have you) costs around $5000 a year here, varying according to the program. (Between 5-6 or so at the Univesity I attend. For Law and Commerce, the costs are closer to 10, and over 12 for Medicine) So, what's the cost? Ballpark figure?

I don't know about Canada and USA, but here tuition costs zero.

I would like to add a different point of view to the converasation here. I'm Finnish and I'm not very happy with the results. Finland is a great country for investors and companies but at with cost?
Our unemployment rate is incredibly high and has been very high for almost 15 years. We pay a lot of taxes, which is fine by me. Finland actually gives ME money for my studies in free uni. I'm ready to pay a little extra to keep unis, daycares etc free. But our wages are insanely low. If I would work i.e. in UK I would get about 3 times as much as I get here. As half of the people are highly educated, they get paid less than in countries where only few are highly educated. (Hey no offense UK, I didn't mean you in the last sentence).
Also all the prices are high for several reasons. Not really because of the taxes as most of you would like to think but because of the climate and distances. The density of population is one of the lowest in the world. And when the oil gets more and more expensive, transportation gets more expensive and products get more expensive...
In the EU, comparing prices and wages, only Portuguese have less money to buy things than we have. (Before last May, I don't know about the new members)
During last ten years companies have made huge profits and laid out thousands of workers.
For all these reasons I would be happy if Finland would be around 20th in the nest survey.

One word...

Nokia

One word...

Nokia
It's the one company everyone knows, but it's not the only huge company. The other ones are b-to-b companies which you probably have never heard of. Unless you regularly buy papermachines, huge cruisers (yachts) or 100km2 of forests in Indonesia, Brasilia or Canada...
In any case Nokia is mostly owned by American investing companies.

This reminds me... I've always been kinda curious. What is the cost of tuition at an American University? I looked into one when I was picking schools, and the cost was about 36,000 or so (Including room and board), now I'm not sure if that was because I'd have been an international student or the school was just more expensive than most.. anyway, that's a lot more than in Canada. Tuition (not including rent and what have you) costs around $5000 a year here, varying according to the program. (Between 5-6 or so at the Univesity I attend. For Law and Commerce, the costs are closer to 10, and over 12 for Medicine) So, what's the cost? Ballpark figure?


what you have to factor in is that RAW college tuition costs are a type of game. Only a fraction of a college's student body actually pay those costs. By fraction I mean 3-7%. The rest of the student body is subsidized by the govt and private breaks.

That isnt talked about though. Thats why colleges raise their tuitition by much more than their costs increases every year. Then they go to politicians and demand more subsidies. There isnt a politician in the world who is gonna say no because they understand the game.

I went to the most expensive college in the country(when living costs were taken into account). Unfortunately, because my parents were modestly well off(doctors) I paid full price(except the years whee I had a free ride from scholorship).

Many of my classmates were rich, most were not. The majorority of my classmates were from normal everyday families. Police, small business owners, union workers, regular company employees ect.

My best friend from college grew up(not poor but not rich).

There is no free money.
there is no free healthcare or college education.

We all pay for it, it is just a matter of where you see that payment.

Europe, delude yourself by talking about free healthcare or higher edcation if you want.

If you are smart, you will realize that nothing is free and the only question is who is paying and who is accountable.