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Throughout my travels this summer, I’ve been struck by the different ways societies and great cities handle their challenges. Everyone wants to live well.
Denmark is so expensive, yet so efficient. People live better than their income would suggest — in fact, they seem to live extremely well. I don’t understand the inner-works of a society, but Danish society seems to be a social internal-combustion engine in a glass box. High taxes, all interrelated and connected. It seems Scandinavians have evolved as far as socialism can go without violating the necessary fundamentals of capitalism. Communalism.
What happens when a tune-up is needed? “Who does it?” I ask. My Danish friends say, “The government.” What does government represent in Denmark: corporate or the people’s interest? Clearly the people’s. Danes say, “If our government lets us down, we let ourselves down.”
In a Danish village, you are allowed to pick berries and nuts “no more than would fit in your hat.” I saw Danish communalism in the reaction a friend had in that village when the biggest hotel in town started renting bikes. They don’t need to do that — it is Mrs. Hansen’s (who runs the bike-rental shop next to the gas station) livelihood. Of course there’s no law forbidding it…it was a matter of neighborly decency.
Switzerland has its own approach to persistent social problems. Once someone pointed out Switzerland’s syringe-vending machines, I saw them in every city — big, blocky vending machines which, if you read the paint-overs carefully, originally sold cigarettes, then condoms, and now syringes. The same syringes cost 1 Swiss franc in Bern and 3 in Zürich. I wondered why.
Another little difference I noticed in Swiss cities is their system of garbage collection. People buy bright-blue bags for 2 SF ($1.50) each. Each plastic bag includes pick-up service. They just fill the bags with garbage, put them on the curb, and they’re picked up.
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As I travel, I have picked up these ideas in conversations. They’re not clear to me. Perhaps you can help.
Someone told me that war doesn’t shape history, successful systems and economics do. Maybe it’s roads and free trade — freedom to learn and challenge — that makes history. War powers like Sparta, Prussia, and the Third Reich have left relatively little for today’s sightseers — the warrior cultures ultimately have had little impact. English is spoken because England (and later the USA) had (and have?) the best system. Rome’s impact was thanks to trade and roads–not its centurions.
Societies advance in a Darwinian way. Like Adam Smith’s invisible hand directs the evolution of economies, what makes people happy directs the evolution of social and political systems.
As I headed to the airport earlier this summer in Zagreb, people were running to catch their trams. At the airport coffee shop, a manager had his staff scurrying to provide high-priced drinks to fast-paced, Red Bull-slurping Croats. Above the cash register was a photo of Pope John Paul II smiling on and tenderly touching the flag of a new and free nation — Croatia.
Surrounded by a shiny, new, and affluent Croatia, it was clear to me that when left to grow — nourished by democracy, capitalism, and national pride — the cultural garden of Europe (and lands beyond) can be both diverse and fruitful.
Two visits to Sweden, we said, “Sweden works.†The Swedish National election was near, with election rallies at street corners. One man, who was getting his doctorate in economics at Stockholm U, asked, “Do you realize how lucky you are to be living in America?â€
I asked about 32 people, “Since people who don’t work are provided all of the necessities and many of the frivolities of life by the Government, when are the people who work and pay taxes, going to get tired of paying to support that way of life?†About 25 answers were, “We are already sick of this mess and want to change it, a little.†The people at the Communist party rally thought they deserved even more free goodies. All agreed that even if the most conservative political party in Sweden wins the election, not much will change.
In the downtown area, a lady was singing as she played “How Great Thou Art†on a battery powered organ, we joined her in singing. She wanted us to take the mike, but we’re not that good.
I my life I have lived in 4 different countries, the US (of course) England, France and now Canada. In each countries I have seen what i consider the good and the bad of each government. I find it interesting to see the differences, some minor, some huge, and what each country values. I hope that through travel we can learn from each other and realize that changing the way we do things is not a sign of weakness, but intelligence. These tidbits you pass on to us from countries we have not been to (yet) help us to broaden our horizens.
I have very much enjoyed following Rick’s travels this summer and will miss the daily updates. However, we have recently purchased the entire set of 70 shows and will continue traveling through them. Keep up the good work Rick and if possible, keep blogging your insites to the different cultures. Some of us need to be reminded that Americans aren’t the only people in the world!! Keep on travelin’.
Your depicttion of Prussia as a “War Power” that offered nothing to society is a naieve, uninformed, and oversimplified attemt to malign a complex and often contaridictory entity. Prussia has been misunderstood as a reactionary militaristic state when in reality it was one the most progressive and enlightened countries in Europe (at the time). Throughout the eighteenth century the Prussian government protected small farmers from abusive aristocratic landowners through the development of an exemplary system of justice. It fought illiteracy among the peasantry and formed a university system (open to all) evnied the world over. This legacy of progress would continue throughout the nineteenth century with a nationalized health insurance program and a state pension system. Moreover the Prussian state was tolerant to various ethnic groups such as Poles and Jews (who enjoyed legal equality with Germans)and welcomed immigrants into an almost unheard of multicultural society.
how the swiss deal with waste is wonderful – recycling is free, but throwing out a small sack of garbage costs a hefty 2 bucks a bag – what a great way to encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle! and jim, i’ve been thoroughly enjoying your comments while following rick’s blog. one of the wonderful things about the “traveling community” are the folks you meet and the stories you hear, whether at the cafe, in a train, or through a blog or message board. thanks.
Denmark sounds lovely. All the countries have good ideas for getting things done. Happy travels!
Hi Rick, Have traveled Europe and middle East and find where countries have most equality between sexes, that country will be most creative in approach to social issues and a happier living experience exists for visitor and citizen alike.This applies to comparisons between European countries as well as middle East. As long as 50% of population not considered equal then men bound by tradition suffer as much.Its as if an engine were allowed to run only on half power! Love your insights prob. cause they so agree with my own!Have met a few great hotelieres through your recommendation. E Miller California
One needs to be careful repainting history to match one’s social agendas. Prussia’s impact is still seen today through a unified Germany. That was a result of Prussia’s military might along with political savy – the political savy would not have been effective without the military success. The same holds true for Rome. There would have been few roads, little trade, and no spread of Roman law and engineering without the centurions.
War doesnt shape history, successful systems and economics do. Rick, I love your books and travel philosophy, but this is a pretty credulous statement. Care to speculate on the future of Western culture if the Greeks had lost the Persian wars and enslaved the Greeks? Had the barbarians not repeatedly sacked Rome? Had native Americans crushed the Conquistadors? How England would have evolved had the Normans lost the battle of Hastings? If Napolean’s attack on Russia in 1812 had succeeded? If America had not entered the 1st World War and instead the warring parties negotiated a settlement as they were on the brink of doing? In each example, and dozens more easily given, do you think that even if the battle had gone the other way the actual winner would have enventually prevailed? Your argument is a familiar one under a different name; it’s usually cast as the “great-man” theory; do people change history or are they just names attached to the tides of events?
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr said: There is always a little thrill one gets from saying things well.
I say: A picture is worth a thousand words, a visit is worth a thousand pictures, the video is priceless. The eye can see and the heart can love what the word cannot describe.
As you might have concluded by now, we are often justifiably accused of “name-dropping.†Even more, we enjoy “name-catching†and “picture catching,†the everlasting joys of travel. Our ear may catch the name, and our eye may catch a picture of a thousand cities, towns, or buildings, and with the help of our mind’s eye we find an added reward for our years of travel.