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PHP too (Rasmus Ledorf). But where do all these people you mention live now? On the other side of the Atlantic. Another success story is Skype, which was foun
by laut 18y ago
PHP too (Rasmus Ledorf).
But where do all these people you mention live now? On the other side of the Atlantic.
Another success story is Skype, which was founded by a Dane and a Swede. Did they decide to start the company in Denmark or Sweden? No, it's a Luxemborg company.
Denmark has a history of a relatively free economy. In the 1960's the government was smaller than in the US. And the biggest companies in Denmark today were founded a long time ago. Before the welfare state in Denmark grew really big. Maersk, the biggest container shipping company in the world, for instance.
Today the average child born in Denmark is going to be a net cost to the Ponzi scheme called the welfare state. So it's an unsustainable system. I think the country is still coasting on the culture and work ethic of the previous generations. But the work ethic is deteriorating now that the welfare state has been around so long there are families where the parents have always lived from welfare and never really had a job.
It still "works" despite the big government, not because of it. Also, it could be worse, Denmark is #11 on the Economic Freedom Index. It is easy to start a company, there are relatively few restrictions on investment etc. But - the taxes are very high.
http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cf...
Denmark has something a similar to Milton Friedmans idea of a school voucher system, where you can put your kid in a private school and you'll get a subsidy from the state. So you kind of get the taxes paid for government school back and the private school gets the money. The parents just have to pay a smaller fee to the private school in addition to the government "voucher money". There is no good reason why government should run the school. But they do. Some of them are private though. So if you think Denmark's school system is so great, maybe you should support getting the government out of schools in the US.
- another Dane who left Denmark.
- mixmax 18y agoYes that is the contradiction - an apparently great educational system paid for by taxes that are so high that the smart and successful Danes leave the country and make their money elsewhere in order not to pay the high taxes.
- pelle 18y agoThis is a common argument heard in Denmark to make us the Danes who left feel bad. While not as bad now, there was a time when the word "udenlandsdansker" (Danish emigrant) was synonymous with traitor when used by Danish politicians. The way I look at it is that my parents paid 70% taxes when I was going through the educational system, so I could go through the educational system. I have also paid plenty of Danish taxes myself to put other peoples children through school. While I have great love for my country, I am not indebted nor indentured to it. We already went through a period in Danish history http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavnsbånd http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stavnsbånd (in Danish) where men between 18 and 36 were forced to stay and work for the local land owner. I do not think there is a need through law, guilt or propaganda to enforce a new version of this indentureship. There are many reasons to stay in Denmark, but there are also plenty of good reasons for entrepreneurs and other over achievers to leave: http://stakeventures.com/articles/2007/07/01/silicon-vikings-talk-on-danish-entrepreneurship http://stakeventures.com/articles/2007/07/01/silicon-vikings...
- deleted 18y ago[deleted]
- mixmax 18y agoThis is a common argument heard in Denmark to make us the Danes who left feel bad. it wasn't meant that way, just pointing out the bad politics of not letting people reap the rewards of what they sow. I'm thinking of moving away myself, if it wasn't for the good friends and beautiful girls I would have gone already.