According to Newsweek, Finland is the best country in the world to live in. And the truth is that it’s a very good place to be. Trust me, I’ve lived there so I should know. However, being the best doesn’t mean that the country is perfect, in fact there are lots of things that could be improved (the health care is just one example), and since Parliament Elections will be held in April next year, the politicians are now trying to do everything in their power to convince the voters.
In the aftermath of the global crisis (who is going to save the economically unstable states in southern Europe?), and the challenges of globalisation and increased immigration, it seems that the role of the populist right wing is increasing, something that really scares me. Almost 10% of the Finnish population is supporting the True Finns-party, which is known for its negative opinions about immigration and the European Union. Yes, immigration is not easy: it challenges the whole structure of society, but: isn’t it worth it? If things are so good in our country, shouldn’t we let other enjoy the benefits as well? (and before you decide to chop my head off: I’m not talking about free-riders, I am talking about people who have adapted to the Finnish society, people who work there, pay their taxes and contribute to the general welfare). I believe that immigration can be a positive experience, if it’s dealt with properly.
And as far as the EU is concerned: well, I’m sorry, but it seems that we need the European Union and the rest of the world to survive, since we cannot count on "endless" oil supplies to keep us alive (like Norway). Of course, the European Union, being far from a perfect institution, could also be developed in such a way that a few states, that are economically stable, don’t end up saving poorer or more corrupt EU members in times of crisis.
3 comments:
Being so close to the arctic circle makes me wonder whether or not Finland could (or should)be sustained on a combination of solar and wind energy. If you live somewhere where for half the year it's going to be freaking sunny, methinks you should slap up a few solar panels. I know here if you have solar panels on your property for personal use and you have extra energy some power companies will buy it from you, helping you pay back the cost of installing them.
I'm hoping to make my garage solar powered soon, followed by my poultry houses. However I don't do it to save the world, I do it so I can give the government the middle finger which is also a good cause :-D
Love your take on this and I learned something new about Finland.
Some of my American acquaintances were angry that the US was not ranked higher; just rolled my eyes and had to explain that "we are not the only country in the world".
Allie: sounds good!
Jessica: a lot of people tend to believe that they are the centre of the universe. However, I think it's easier for small, socialdemocratic countries to rank higher in this lists, there are less problems to deal with. But again, no country is perfect and the sooner we admit that to ourselves, the sooner we can start improving ourselves and our countries.
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