If you want a country with a robust functioning social services system and generally socialist system of government, and an overwhelmingly egalitarian middle-class oriented class strata, it’s hard to beat Japan.
But as mentioned upthread, it turns out that a country can have all that yet still be extremely socially conservative. In fact it’s arguable that those nice things can only come from an extremely high-trust society, which is produced by an ethnically homogenous population (Japan’s diversity index is basically zero).
If you emigrate to Japan, you will definitely feel what it’s like to be an outsider and a second-class citizen. But if a well-functioning social democracy is what you’re after, it’s hard to beat. Just don’t do any crimes or wear your shoes indoors and you’ll be fine.
From what I know of the UCP, they’re definitely wingnuts, though that doesn’t mean they necessarily represent the views of all Albertans, as conservative as most of them are. As for privatizing universal health care, I don’t think it will ever happen, even in Alberta.
In our loose federation of provinces in theory they can go ahead and do it – or try – but it would be hugely unpopular, especially when citizens find out what it’s really going to cost them. If they privatize, or even if they don’t but just cut funding so they no longer meet the minimum standards of the Canada Health Act, then they lose all federal health funding. They’re on their own. That’s going to cost someone seriously big money, and ultimately that means the citizens of Alberta.
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I was in Denmark last year and visited that area. It was successful back then but involved a bit of maneuvering.
I have family in Norway and love to visit but could not see me living there full time. Like Beck stated earlier, there is no place like home. Especially for me - I have medical issues and a few cousins/friends left here that I rely on for support.
Check out Uruguay: 1) One of only 3 full democracies in the Americas (Canada and Costa Rica being the other). 2). Federally guaranteed LGBTQ rights (Uruguay is rated one of the 3 or 4 best countries in the world for LGBTQ people). 3. Legal cannabis—the first country in the world! 4. Mild climate, nice beaches. 5. Inexpensive.
Switzerland has the second most expensive health care. Only the U.S. is higher.
Health insurance alone is increasing 6% for 2025. COLA are not keeping up.
People who are anything other than white, have a name that ends with -ic or -ich, etc. are discriminated against.
Government provides many services, and provides invoices as well.
And it’s really difficult to come here, if you don’t have an invite from a company to work here or already have citizenship.
I have a colleague who just moved from Germany. His purchasing power decreased by 20% because things cost so much here. As it is a small market, and not part of the EU, many international companies don’t bother coming here. That means there are fewer choices at the grocery stores and fewer chain restaurants.
While this is true, two things are worth noting about that. One is that although it is indeed the most expensive, the US is extraordinarily more so, literally off the charts in the sense that some charts have to have their scale adjusted when including US health care costs.
The other point worth noting is that part of the reason that health insurance in Switzerland is so expensive is that it relies entirely on private health insurance providers. Residents must buy insurance from private providers, and coverage is subject to deductibles and co-insurance, making it more similar to the US fiasco than most other countries. As compared, say, with Canada where the government directly funds health care costs, and where extra costs like deductibles are explicitly prohibited under the Canada Health Act.
Would a geographically or culturally Scandinavian country come closest? They tend to have a high median income and strong social safety net. I would think that they would at least be a better example than the majority of (other) European nations, who have larger extremist right wings.
ETA: they’re also my go-to “Exception that proves the rule” when people claim that the Democratic party is actually center-right. I usually say “yeah, maybe in Scandinavian countries but not anywhere else.”
