Here’s some Scandinavian policies we could adopt

Simon Wilson writes:

Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden occupy positions 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 on the UN’s inequality-adjusted Human Development Index. New Zealand is a mere 17th. Those same countries also hold five of the top seven places on the World Happiness Index. They’re doing pretty well.

Are there things we could learn from them?

I am sure there are. Here’s some of them:

• Sweden has lifted its ban on uranium mining and reversing the decision to phase out nuclear power with 10 new nuclear reactors
• A planned 10 billion kronor tax cut in Sweden
• A national ban on begging in Sweden
• Increasing defence spending to 2% of GDP
• Norway cut fuel tax
• Norway is 5th largest oil exporter in the world
• Denmark announced a US-Danish defense cooperation agreement, that allows for U.S. soldiers and military equipment to be based in Denmark
• Denmark is tripling military spending
• Denmark has forced 37-hours-per-week labour for immigrants in exchange for benefits
• Finland has cut €6 billion in the state budget
• Finland has tightened up benefit eligibility
• Iceland has a corporate tax rate of 20%

All good policies!