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To the editor:
What do residents of Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands have in common? Year after year, they rank among the happiest people in the world based upon data from World Gallup Poll surveys, GDP, life expectancy and other factors. They also live under varying forms of social democracy, a system of government which includes large-scale welfare programs with market-based mixed economies that feature both capitalism and nationalized government services.
The model includes a high percentage of unionized workers, a high percentage of the workforce engaged in the public sector and low levels of wealth inequality.
While a recent letter to The Chief correctly notes that “Socialist regimes are depressing” (“Doublespeak,” Aug. 23) the same is clearly not true for social democracies, such as those topping the happiness list.
All 15 nations whose citizens self-describe their lives as “happier” than Americans employ elements of Social Democracy.
Republican politicians, like Donald Trump, falsely claim that Democrats are “socialists” or “communists” in order to stoke fear and division. Regulating business, progressively taxing wealth, promoting unionized labor, providing free or low cost health care, childcare and education through college isn’t socialism or communism; it’s good public policy and it makes people happy.
Joseph Cannisi
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Rgonzalez1973
Joseph Cannisi, thank you for making that very important point! Social safety net programs are not socialism or communism, they are like you’ve stated good and smart policies!
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