Five Reasons Norway is the Most Progressive Country In the World

Progression in other countries is gathering pace as their peoples and their governments embrace new ideas. Norway is one of them, and they are probably the most progressive of all the countries out there in the world. Here are five reasons why Norway is the most progressive country in the world:

1. A prison which is more like a luxury hotel/block of apartments

Costing around $22.2 million, and located in Halden, this prison offers its inmates amenities which include prison cells which come with mini-fridges and unbarred windows. They also come with en-suite showers, and they also have fluffy towels. The cells are completely private. The prisoners can enjoy a night watching whatever they wish on their flat-screen televisions while they enjoy a snack from their fridges before they go to bed. Boasting extensive grounds to roam around, even coming with a wall for rock climbing for leisure and exercise. Some people might believe this prison is going a bit too far, but when you see a low crime and low re-offence rates in Norway, you can see the prison system is working. Indeed, a reporter for the Guardian noted in an article the prison governor was surprised when asked for details about attacks from the prisoners, hospitalizations of the staff and the prisoners themselves. Prisons in Britain, for example, log this type of information, but Halden, despite being a high-security prison which houses some of the worst types of criminals there is, and yet it is comparable to a hotel.

2. High GDP per capita

Norway is rich with minerals and other natural resources. While it isn’t unique since there are other resource-rich countries in the world, not all of them share benefits of wealth, and they don’t share a GDP per capita rating, showing a very low rating on their social progression.

3. Just World Phenomenon

This idea applies not just to Norway, but to all Scandinavian countries because they don’t believe in it. The mindset behind this idea, basically states, especially to countries and peoples who have a pro-capitalistic way of thinking, if some people are poor, then it means they deserve to be poor. The Just-World phenomenon is a part of capitalism. It’s an idea that if you just work hard, be good, then you will be successful. The downside to this philosophy is it is not a guarantee – people can work hard and do well in the long term, but only a very few people succeed, otherwise, there would be billionaires everywhere. The Just-World phenomenon is a defense mechanism when you see disadvantaged people – homeless people for instance, many people would love to say they are different, that you would do something to help… only they don’t.

People with that mindset will take one look at bankrupted people who have no health insurance to their name, and they will just shrug their shoulders, saying they are not lazy but those who are sick, thinking they are safe because they are living well because they have a well-paying job which comes with the benefits of good food, central heating, and exercise while they turn a blind eye. But not all countries share this mindset, particularly Scandinavian countries, especially Norway. They believe everyone gets sick frequently, but everyone can benefit from a good health system put into place. Scandinavian countries are also aware that criminals are not a bunch of soulless and ruthless people, but that some criminals are actually trying to survive by stealing money for food, etc.

4. Natural resources

As stated above, Norway is a country rich with minerals and natural resources, but here we shall see what that means. Norway, like all Scandinavian countries, has always enjoyed fresh water in abundance, and the people have a fairly strong diet of fresh fish, though not everything is perfect, nothing is. Many people in Norway are overweight, but that is to be expected everywhere.

5. Happy Place

Since 2017, Norway has been reported to be the happiest place on Earth in a United Nations agency report which has even toppled Denmark from the position. Many people are happy with their government and with their way of life, and why shouldn’t they be? They come from a country with a rich culture, a stable crime rate, while there are a few who aren’t happy they are not the majority.