The Welfare State
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- Strøget, Copenhagen, summer 2003
Denmark is a rich country with a high material standard of living. Also the
gap between rich and poor is smaller than in many other rich countries in
the North. Even poor people in Denmark have a relatively high material standard
of living compared to the general world population.
Of course the average dane only comsume a disappering small part of the worlds
ressources compared with the average US american, but even then a much
greater part than the average world citizen. So if you are living in a part
of the world with lack of everything you know where at least a part of it
has gone.
Safe cities
In Denmark a young women can walk alone through the cities by night without any problems. Robberies, violence, rape etc. are rare.
Social security and education
The Social Security system in Denmark is highly developed.
Medical care and
education - both general school, high school and university - are almost free and open
for all Danes. Old people are taken care of by the public social
security system, and Danes who are unable to work due to illness or
are unemployed are supported by the state.
Young parents are given financial support, and all children have the
possibility to be taken care of in Kindergartens.
It's all financed by taxes and different kinds of compulsory social security systems.
Fear of the future
Many danes are expecting that the welfare state will undergo radical changes in the coming years. How radical is dificult to the tell. But seen in a global context Neoliberal economic ideas has gained a very strong influence, privatization of former common goods is a strong global trend, and the need to sustain an social security system that makes the capitalist market economy acceptable also for low income groups is perhaps no more regarded as necessary or functional, or even possible.