Danes and Americans often ask me why I chose to study in Denmark. Covering an area half the size of Maine and with a population of five million inhabitants, the country represents a mere 0.008 percent of the world’s 6.7 billion people. Yet what attracted me to Denmark was not its size, but the state’s culture and unique welfare system.
Denmark has been ranked consistently as one of the happiest countries in the world and, as a result of its large welfare state, boasts low unemployment rates, high education standards and provides its population with many social benefits, including universal health care. While mingling with Danes as an American, one might often find oneself trying to defend the state of U.S. politics, health care and education. While I have found it difficult to defend a lot of American ways, my overall experience with the Danish system has been nothing but positive.
Upon my arrival in Denmark, I was sent to the Kommune Office to get my “CPR Card,” my official Danish ID, library card and health insurance card. The Kommune office was newly renovated and I was greeted by smiling faces. I took a number and five minutes later, a lady was typing my name in the computer and asking me whether I preferred a male or female doctor. This first experience with Danish efficiency, I soon found, was true for other aspects of life here.
Another unique component of the Danish welfare system is higher education funding. Not only do Danish students attend universities for free, but they are also paid while completing their studies. They may take up to six years to complete their degrees, and after graduation, Danish job centers assist them in career searches and support them financially for up to six years until they find jobs. This support system is in stark contrast with the American one. Sure, the U.S. federal government provides grants, but students still have to rely financially on either their parents, waitressing jobs or private donations.
The idea is that it is in Denmark’s best interest for all its citizens to be well educated. The Ministry of Education reports that more than 80 percent of Danes complete a general upper secondary education. However, they are working to improve the figure to 95 percent. State support is prevalent in other aspects of life as well, including a one-year maternity leave, high pensions for retired persons and career advising when people unexpectedly become unemployed.
The downside is that Danes pay high taxes. The average taxation rate is between 42 and 63 percent of one’s income, a level that many Americans would find problematic. Yet despite the high taxes, recent surveys show, Danish citizens remain content. They don’t mind being taxed because they understand where their money is going and like to know that they are contributing to their society. Though no expert in economics or politics, I think there is one thing the U.S. can learn from the Danes—group solidarity.
Related posts:
- The USA: An Almost-welfare State
- Welfare: Stereotypes and Prejudice
- Otema Stephanie Adu ’09 pursues a Master’s in Denmark
- Apologies for past injustice: Should the United States follow suit?
- Is It Mockery or Free Speech?
