[A response to a comment from someone touting the Nordic countries as examplars of socialism.]
Socialists like to pretend that the Nordic countries are the only data points we should count when evaluating socialism.
But are Finland, Norway, and Denmark the only socialist countries in the world?
If an investor only counted the profitable trades in his portfolio, would you say he was intellectually honest?
Don't you think that you should also count _all_ of the socialist countries, when making an assessment of socialism as an economic system/ideology?
Don't the Nordic countries also have significant markets? Property rights? Relatively free trade?
How do you know that whatever happiness their citizen's feel is not the result of the market aspects of their economy, rather than socialism?
If you remove the market aspects of their economies, what would happen to their happiness and prosperity?
If you remove the socialist aspects of their economies, what would happen to their happiness and prosperity?
The countries with the most free market economies (lowest taxes, least regulation) are Switzerland, Singapore, and Ireland.
The countries with the most socialist, least free market economies are North Korea, Eritrea, and Cuba.
How do you think the happiness of those countries compares?
Economists say that someone's true preferences are most accurately revealed through their actions rather than their stated intentions or hypothetical claims.
For example, if someone says they're happy where they live, but they leave when they can, are they really happy?
Why do all of the Nordic countries have exit taxes that range from 25-40%?
What do you think the wealthy and productive of those countries would do if their governments didn't threaten to seize 25-40% of their assets if they leave?
Following a 2022 increase in the wealth tax rate to 1.1%, 261 Norwegian multimillionaires and billionaires have relocated abroad, primarily to Switzerland, despite a 37.8% exit tax. Of Norway's 400 richest people, 105 now live abroad. (1)
What do you think will happen to Norway's economy if their wealthiest citizens continue to leave?
1. https://www.reuters.com/business/norways-wealth-tax-trades-millionaires-equality-2025-11-24/
![[A response to a comment from someone touting the Nordic countries as examplars of socialism.]
Socialists like to pretend that the Nordic countries are the only data points we should count when evaluating socialism.
But are Finland, Norway, and Denmark the only socialist countries in the world?
If an investor only counted the profitable trades in his portfolio, would you say he was intellectually honest?
Don't you think that you should also count _all_ of the socialist countries, when making an assessment of socialism as an economic system/ideology?
Don't the Nordic countries also have significant markets? Property rights? Relatively free trade?
How do you know that whatever happiness their citizen's feel is not the result of the market aspects of their economy, rather than socialism?
If you remove the market aspects of their economies, what would happen to their happiness and prosperity?
If you remove the socialist aspects of their economies, what would happen to their happiness and prosperity?
The countries with the most free market economies (lowest taxes, least regulation) are Switzerland, Singapore, and Ireland.
The countries with the most socialist, least free market economies are North Korea, Eritrea, and Cuba.
How do you think the happiness of those countries compares?
Economists say that someone's true preferences are most accurately revealed through their actions rather than their stated intentions or hypothetical claims.
For example, if someone says they're happy where they live, but they leave when they can, are they really happy?
Why do all of the Nordic countries have exit taxes that range from 25-40%?
What do you think the wealthy and productive of those countries would do if their governments didn't threaten to seize 25-40% of their assets if they leave?
Following a 2022 increase in the wealth tax rate to 1.1%, 261 Norwegian multimillionaires and billionaires have relocated abroad, primarily to Switzerland, despite a 37.8% exit tax. Of Norway's 400 richest people, 105 now live abroad. (1)
What do you think will happen to Norway's economy if their wealthiest citizens continue to leave?
1. https://www.reuters.com/business/norways-wealth-tax-trades-millionaires-equality-2025-11-24/](2026-01-11-fb-002-img01.webp)