Other nations provide more than books and green spaces for the common good. These social democracies provide free universal health care, education for all, elder care, family support, and investment in sustainability. The Nordic economies have been termed “cuddly capitalism” in contrast to the “cutthroat capitalism” of the United States. The rate of taxation to support the common good is much higher in these countries than in the United States, but so is the Happiness Index, which in Scandinavia is the highest in the world.
