# So what is the greatest nation in the world? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 10, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133 "2011-10-10T01:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/21 "2011-10-10T17:17:23Z")
> [@ModernPrimate](#): > > Excuse me are you mad? > > The countries to the left are the WORST OFFENDERS: [search spain emissions kyoto](http://www.google.ie/search?q=latvia+emissions+kyoto&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=XG7&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&source=hp&q=spain+emissions+kyoto&pbx=1&oq=spain+emissions+kyoto&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=34441l34767l0l35014l5l3l0l0l0l1l280l280l2-1l1l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=9ed19217792a347e&biw=1011&bih=523) > > The countries to the right are the BEST: [search latvia emissions kyoto](http://www.google.ie/search?q=latvia+emissions+kyoto&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a) > > lol, I have to say that is a new one… claiming things to be the mirror inverse of what they are when you don’t like what you see. I’ve heard of spin, but claiming the thing is the wrong way around… hahaha… 😃 > > Admittedly, I was confused at the graph at first as well since “change” in that instance might generally mean positive if they were talking about it in a very different context. However a little thought and if you needed it a search or two would have confirmed matters. > > Again, Russia not only fulfilled their Kyoto protocol agreement, but by a substantial margin. Yes, I am reading your chart backwards. I for one welcome our new Latvian overlords. ---
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/22 "2011-10-10T17:29:05Z")
Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/23 "2011-10-10T17:55:54Z")
The US is not even in my top 25. I’d say that to be a contender for greatest nation, free healthcare must be provided to everyone, there must be a sane drug policy, and there must be a sane prison policy. And universal marriage rights regardless of sex. And no death penalty. There should also be a fairer distribution of wealth between the upper and lower classes. CEOs in the US are unfairly compensated, and the problem up top is getting worse with every passing decade. After the Norwegian massacre several months back, I discovered I really like Norway’s penal system. That whole little wing of NorwaySwedenFinland seems like a pretty great place to be (I’d probably go with Norway or Sweden, if I spoke the language). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/24 "2011-10-10T18:00:43Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Care to name one result of such bigotry you’d call positive? I was talking about me. I said “many people”, which is correct. But I’m not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/25 "2011-10-10T18:04:13Z")
So basically this thread is not asking for opinions; it’s just a screed about the marvels of living in Russia. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/26 "2011-10-10T18:20:38Z")
I love OPs where #1 and #2 are mutually exclusive - no one with enough power is going to be agreed by all to “bring positive changes to the world” since how you view almost all change depends greatly on your point of view. Disregarding your stipulations, from an outside perspective I’d say New Zealand, with Sweden second, are the greatest countries in the world. ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/27 "2011-10-10T19:27:40Z")
Going only by the nations in which I’ve lived, I’d say the ranking is 1. US, 2. Canada, 3. Cuba. Canada would be number 1, but try going to the beach in May in Canada. And while Cuba has the US beat in beaches, the whole dictatorship of the proletariat really sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/28 "2011-10-10T19:34:52Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > The US is not even in my top 25. I’d say that to be a contender for greatest nation, free healthcare must be provided to everyone, there must be a sane drug policy, and there must be a sane prison policy. And universal marriage rights regardless of sex. And no death penalty. There should also be a fairer distribution of wealth between the upper and lower classes. CEOs in the US are unfairly compensated, and the problem up top is getting worse with every passing decade. > > After the Norwegian massacre several months back, I discovered I really like Norway’s penal system. That whole little wing of NorwaySwedenFinland seems like a pretty great place to be (I’d probably go with Norway or Sweden, if I spoke the language). Yeah, that’s pretty tempting, although I’d have trouble with Norway’s insane beer taxes. Denmark might get my first vote. All your criteria look good to me. I think the OP’s requirement that the country be influential is a terrible one. On the contrary, I think it’s very likely that the more influential you are, the lower I’m gonna rank you in the “best country” competition. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/29 "2011-10-10T19:36:12Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Not to mention their biggest export is strippers, vodka and crappy tanks for third world armies. So, Russia it is then? > [@TriPolar](#): > > The answer, as we all know, is the good old US of A. > > You are comparing a 20 year old nation to one that is over 200 years old. Meh. Come back to me when you reach the thousands of years, like us cool europeans. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/30 "2011-10-10T19:45:41Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Meh. Come back to me when you reach the thousands of years, like us cool europeans. Modern European nations date back to the end of WWII when the US gave them back to you, or the fall of the Soviet Union when they let them go free range. And anybody who thinks Europeans are cool, is definitely not cool. America invented cool. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/31 "2011-10-10T19:53:51Z")
My answer is Fogtopia, or it will be if I ever get around to founding it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/32 "2011-10-10T19:57:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Modern European nations date back to the end of WWII when the US gave them back to you, or the fall of the Soviet Union when they let them go free range. And anybody who thinks Europeans are cool, is definitely not cool. America invented cool. Modern European \*governments \*exist since WW2. European \*nations \*are relatively older. Not the same thing. France today is the same country as France of the Bourbons, despite the dozen or two changes in regime style. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/33 "2011-10-10T20:11:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Modern European nations date back to the end of WWII when the US gave them back to you, or the fall of the Soviet Union when they let them go free range. And anybody who thinks Europeans are cool, is definitely not cool. America invented cool. Who gives a shit about cool when instead you can be excellent? Denmark is excellent. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/34 "2011-10-10T20:45:01Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Yeah, that’s pretty tempting, although I’d have trouble with Norway’s insane beer taxes. Denmark might get my first vote. All your criteria look good to me. > > I think the OP’s requirement that the country be influential is a terrible one. On the contrary, I think it’s very likely that the more influential you are, the lower I’m gonna rank you in the “best country” competition. But, the OP didn’t say “best” - he said “greatest.” They are two very different things. Still, if there’s a single greatest country in the world, Russia is pretty far from it. I’d say the US, followed by China. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/35 "2011-10-10T20:56:49Z")
I would have to cast my vote for one of the Scandinavian countries, probably Norway but Finland and Sweden are also pretty awesome. When we went to Finland my husband and I looked around and said, “Wow, we could live here and be really happy.” Since then I’ve kept my eye on information about Scandinavia and on almost every list I’ve seen of the happiest, healthiest, wealthiest, highest standard of living places the first place is always Norway followed by either Sweden of Finland and then 2 other European countries. ---
**Author:** ![ModernPrimate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85e7bf/32.png) [@ModernPrimate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernPrimate)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/36 "2011-10-11T00:17:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > The average life span for a Russian male is something like 55, by far the lowest in the industrialized world, a fact largely attributed to alcohol consumption. Add to the fact that the Russian population is declining faster than virtually anywhere, what you have is a nation that’s quite literally drinking itself to death. Not, I think, an indication of greatness. It has increased dramatically under Putin’s administration and is now 62 or so. [_http://rbth.ru/articles/2010/03/24/240310\_life.html_](http://rbth.ru/articles/2010/03/24/240310_life.html) A lot of older Russians may have been malnourished to a greater or lesser extent during the old, harsh regimes in Russia. But I do not know if this accounts for the full thing. Rich people generally live a lot longer than poor people, Russia of course can’t control if many of their people are poorer than those in the US. > [@septimus](#): > > I hope I’m not too off-topic to focus on just one peculiarity of this OP. > > Many Americans like to think their country “greatest”; I’d have thought the tendency was strongest on the right, yet OP mentions Obama. OP also mentions he likes the Obama-hating news network. > > When right-wingers focus blame on Obama whether the accusation is leftish or rightish, it makes me think that my term, “Stupidism,” is the apt description of today’s right-wing “thought.” I would say the same about Bush or a republican president that said it. I sharply disagree with them on some issues. However that doesn’t mean they are all bad. I also find there’s a lot of lying and vitriol on the left and I really hate big government, social healthcare (thereby making the pharmaceutical companies even more powerful and able to shove more medication on old people), mass immigration etc. as much as any republican. I think the presenters can be funny and entertaining and generally honest, such as Megyn Kelly, Jenna Lee, Shepard Smith, Bill O’ Reilly, Harris Faulkner. (I also don’t get MSNBC so can only view it online because Sky won’t carry it for some reason, however I never watch Sky News or BBC News 24 etc). Just limit the time they give to lunatics like John Bolton. In a way it is also fun to see the “two sides” of things. > [@jacobsta811](#): > > I love OPs where #1 and #2 are mutually exclusive - no one with enough power is going to be agreed by all to “bring positive changes to the world” since how you view almost all change depends greatly on your point of view. [http://www.dailyblogtips.com/abundance-vs-scarcity-mentality/](http://www.dailyblogtips.com/abundance-vs-scarcity-mentality/) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/37 "2011-10-11T00:41:04Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > USA! USA! USA! > > b DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES??? > [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Welcome back **Comissar** , now if you could just change your annoying settings so that I dont have to scroll to the side for every sentence of yours… > If you want to make people needlessly lose time like this for no other reason than to appear original, open up a blog. No no no, **Comissar** had a hard-on for China, remember? I live here, so I’m going with the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/38 "2011-10-11T00:54:51Z")
The United States of America. It is the country with the possible exception of Britain with the longest period of stable and continuous government. It is one of the freest countries in the world. It is one of the militarily and economically strongest countries in the world. It has protected human freedom across the globe It has been instrumental in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ across the Earth both by establishing religious freedom at home and sending missionaries all across the Earth ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/39 "2011-10-11T01:00:01Z")
> [@](#): > > > [@ModernPrimate](#): > > > > 1. Russia has incredible military power due to its history and population. Unlike the US, it never uses its influence in a military fashion. Russia also has the most amount of nuclear weapons in the world (because of the Cold War), but has ratified the CTBT to ban all nuclear weapon testing unlike the US. Russia engages itself in an extremely peaceful manner and refuses to take to war at almost all costs no matter what. Meanwhile the US is up the ass of every Middle Eastern country that dares to refuse to act as a colonial nation to the US. > > Except in World War II, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, the Baltic countries (during the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact), and Poland (again during the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) > > > [@](#): > > > > 1. Russia has used its veto power, along with China, to block the US from imposing intensive trade sanctions on Syria. On Russia Today they continually show the lies and deceit of the western media in how they are treating Arab nations. They are continually exposing lies and deceipt by CNN. [_http://www.youtube.com/russiatoday#p/search/0/NVNblG9PJMk_](http://www.youtube.com/russiatoday#p/search/0/NVNblG9PJMk) > > Because we should be a-okay with countries that massacre civilians. :rolleyes: > > > [@](#): > > > > 1. Russia is very environmentally friendly. It signed the first Kyoto Protocol, even though the US and China would not, and even though the protocol was about going back to levels during which time Russia was in a deep recession and hardly producing any emissions anyway. Russia is one of only a few countries, and none its side, that actually kept its obligation and did what they said they were going to do: [_http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Annex\_I\_Parties\_who\_have\_ratified\_the\_Kyoto\_Protocol\_and\_are\_committed\_to\_emission\_limitations\_over\_the\_years\_2008-2012.Progress\_for\_the\_year\_2005%28greyscale%29.png_](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Annex_I_Parties_who_have_ratified_the_Kyoto_Protocol_and_are_committed_to_emission_limitations_over_the_years_2008-2012._Progress_for_the_year_2005_%28greyscale%29.png) Russia heavily endorse the campaigns to save wildlife species and probably heavily donate also. I could only dream of the US endorsing something like that. Russia is also extremely opposed to GM foods. > > Except GM foods has helped feed the multiudes of the Third World and has prevented mass famines from occurring in place like India in the last half century. Also a few words: Aral Sea, Chernobyl, Lake Baikal. > > > [@](#): > > > > 1. While most of Europe and parts of the US rush to embrace politically correct madness, Russia stays true to its roots and true to its history. It calls out other European countries for doing things like denying what its history really is, for example devoting several chapters to black slavery while the true history of europe gets shoved in together. It calls them out for using the term “CE” instead of “AD” so as not to offend other religions, and all of the politically correct bs that goes on. This is the hypocrisy of western nations… to act like they’re so politically correct and “tolerant”, and then they feel it gives them the ability to bomb and massacre millions of innocent civilians, including women and children, in middle eastern countries. I agree with this actually. Putin is probably the most statesman-like leader in the world to-day much as I disagree with him. He is the only leader who is on the level of Bismarck or Teddy Roosevelt. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133/40 "2011-10-11T01:54:18Z")
The US is the greatest nation in the world. Is America perfect? No. Can we do better? Yes. That said, there’s no other country I’d rather live, and there’s a reason people are risking their lives to get over here. Ain’t nobody risking their life to get into, oh, Russia or China for a better life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/599133.md?page=3)