Nobel prizes, 312–13
Nokia, 7, 285–6
Noma, 6, 95
Nordic countries: potential union, 391–3
Nordskott, 190–1
Nørretranders, Tor, 65
Norway, 161–216; agriculture, 193; alcohol consumption, 158, 166, 171, 248, 249; butter crisis, 211; clothes for climate, 191; corruption, 41, 205; and Denmark, 111, 163–4, 193–5, 211–13, 374; defining statistic, 62; economic performance, 202–3; education, 203; environmentalism, 205–7; fishing industry, 7, 188, 207; fjords, 190–1; gas industry, 197, 202; gender equality, 184, 185, 214, 364–5; happiness, 4–5; history, 21, 23, 24, 165–6, 176, 374; and Iceland, 144, 146; immigration and multiculturalism, 168–9, 172–85, 215, 322; isolationism, 209–13; landscape and rural areas, 172, 187–91; monarchy, 373–6, 378; national character, 8–9, 11–13; national day, 163–71, 178–9; neighbours’ jokes about, 212–13; and Nobel peace prize, 313; Norwegian Americans, 10; Norwegian languages, 214; oil industry, 5, 7, 62, 187, 192–8, 202, 204–8; parties and celebrations, 17, 163–71, 178–9; population, 187–8, 192; R&D investment, 202–3; regional costume, 164–5; regional dialects, 388; rural areas, 59; Sami people, 186–7; social cohesion, 215–16; social conformity, 90; societies, clubs and groups, 41; superstition, 152; and Sweden, 163–4, 165–6, 195–6, 211, 294–5, 303; taciturnity, 240; tourism, 210; trust levels, 41, 44, 215–16; TV, 189–90, 214–15; 22/7, 171–85; wealth, 192–3, 197–205; welfare state, 203, 204; work ethic, 202, 203, 207–8
Norwegian Air, 89
Norwegian Constitution Day, 163–71, 178–9
Not the Nine O’Clock News (TV series), 11
nuclear industry, 354
Nykøbing, 88, 89, 91–3
Obama, Barack, 295, 313
Oddsson, Davið, 130, 140, 158
oil industry, 5, 7, 62, 187, 192–8, 202, 204–8
Olaf I Tryggvason, king of Norway, 133
Olsen Gang, 110
Olympic Games, 247
Oppeid, 188–9
Ørsted, H. C., 392
Oslo, 171, 186–7, 188
Oslo bombings (2011), 172–85
Ostrobothnia, 250–1
Oulu, 284, 287
overskud, 29
Øygard, Svein Harald, 130
Pacino, Al, 284
Palme, Lisbet, 348
Palme, Olof, 319–20, 347–9, 353, 362
Palmerston, Lord, 23
Pálsson, Gísli, 129, 136, 143, 145, 146
Parikka, Pekka, 266
Paris, 51
parking, 29
parties and celebrations: Denmark, 17–18, 19–20, 98–102, 170; Finland, 17, 166; national days, 163–71, 178–9; Norway, 17, 163–71, 178–9; Sweden, 17, 20, 166–7, 170, 293–4, 306–8
Pedersen, Ove Kaj, 55–6, 58, 67, 68, 71, 122–3
Peltonen, Matti, 245–50
Pennanen, Eila, 252–3
pensions, 68, 74
Perry, Katy, 298
Pettersson, Christer, 348
Philips Petroleum, 193
Phillips-Martinsson, Jean, 301
philosophy, 25
Pickett, Kate, 33–4, 49
Pietism, 152
pigs see bacon industry
Pink, 298
PISA see Programme for International Student Assessment
plants see flora and fauna
police, 348
pop music, 6, 7, 257, 298, 385
Popenoe, David, 369–70
pork see bacon industry
pornography, 319–20
Portugal, 34, 67
Porvoo, 283
Porvoo, Diet of (1809), 259
Porvoo Cathedral, 280
prisons, 214
productivity see work ethic and productivity
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 70–1, 275
Progress Party (Fremskrittsparti; Norway), 175–6, 180–1, 203, 322, 328
public services: Denmark, 70–5, 78–9, 119; see also health and health care; welfare state
Putin, Vladimir, 273
puukkojunkkarit, 250
Pyt, 30
queuing, 195–6
Quisling, Vidkun, 176
quislings, 176
racism see immigration and multiculturalism
railways, 79, 189–90, 283
Rasmussen, Anders Fogh, 6, 118
Rasmussen, Annegrethe, 94
Rausing, Hans, 94
Rausing. Sigrid, 357
recycling, 256
Redzepi, René, 6, 95
Reepalu, Ilmar, 325
Refn, Nicolas Winding, 6
Reinfeldt, Fredrik, 345
religion: Christianity, 85–7, 96, 149, 152, 225, 352; Hinduism, 108–9
republicanism, 376–8
restaurants, 6, 95, 372–3
Reykjavik, 129, 130–2, 137, 149, 151, 187
Riis, Bjarne, 118
Ringkøbing, 107–8
riots, 321–9
roads: crossing, 2, 313–14; tolls, 62
Robinowitc, Christina Johansson, 357–8, 362
Robyn, 385
Rockwool Research Foundation, 59–60, 66–7
Roma, 215
Roskilde, Treaty of (1658), 22
Rotten Banana Denmark, 57–8, 83–5, 107–12
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 359
Rovaniemi, 219, 268
Rowe, Dr Elizabeth Ashman, 10, 52–3, 138
Rowling, J. K., 10
rudeness see manners
Runeberg, Johan Ludvig, 262
Russia, 227, 252, 264–73
SAAB, 297
Saari, Matti Juhanni, 279–80
Saarinen, Tero, 255
Sachs, Jeffrey, 4
Sætre, Simen, 202, 203–5
Salmiakki Koskenkorva, 245
Sami people, 186–7
Sandmose, Aksel Nielsen, 88–9
Sankt Hans celebration, 17–18
Santa Claus, 219–21
Satisfaction with Life Index, 1
saunas, 232–7
savings, 68
Schatz, Roman: attitude to Finns, 227–9, 230; on Finnish alcohol consumption, 253; on Finnish history, 272; on Finnish society, 289; on Finnish taciturnity, 238, 242; on Finnish women, 286; on Swedes, 263; on Swedish Finns, 260–1
Scheinen, Patrick, 275–8, 279, 280
Schleswig, 23, 26
school shootings, 279–80
Scotland, 147
seaside resorts, 109
Second World War (1939–45): Denmark, 23–4, 167; Finland, 252, 253, 265–8; Iceland, 157; Norway, 166, 176; Sweden, 266, 354–6
sex, attitudes to, 84, 319–20
shark meat, 131–2
shops: Danish, 1, 5, 8, 92; malls, 324; Swedish, 7, 297, 298
shyness, 240, 301–2
SIAN, 182
Sibelius, Jean, 244, 262
Sigurðardóttir, Jóhanna, 130
Sigurðsson, Hreiðar Már, 139
Silvia, queen of Sweden, 375, 377
Simonsson, Magnus, 376–7
Singapore, 276
sisu, 251–2
Skåne, 22, 381
Skaptadóttir, Unnur Dís, 143–4, 146
Skapofsi, 139
Skype, 7
Slyngstad, Yngve, 189, 199–201, 205–6, 211
smask, 29
smoking, 73, 158
social cohesion: Denmark, 39–61, 102–4, 117; Norway, 215–16
social conformity: Denmark, 2, 88–106; Finland, 225; folkelig, 102–6; hygge, 98–102; Jante Law, 88–97; Norway, 90; Sweden, 90, 305, 313–14, 344–70
social connectedness, 39–43, 140–2
Social Democratic Alliance Party (Iceland), 130
Social Democratic Party (Denmark), 26
Social Democrats (Sweden), 344–63
social mobility, 388–9; see also class issues
societies, clubs and groups, 39–41, 42–3
Søndervig, 109
Sonkajärvi, 287–8
Sontag, Susan, 249,
300–1, 390
South Korea, 47, 49
Soviet Union see Russia
Søvndal, Villy, 73
Spain, 67, 332
Spears, Britney, 298
Spotify, 7
Sree Abirami Amman temple, 108–9
Sri Lanka, 108
Stadil, Christian, 118
Stalin, Joseph, 265–6, 267
Starck, Philippe, 137
Statoil, 197, 197, 205
Sterling, 145
Stiglitz, Joseph, 33
Stockholm: advantages, 187; architecture, 315; Berns hotel, 316; Gamla stan, 249; history museum, 314–15, 320, 321; National Museum, 319, 320; Nobel Museum, 312–13; Stockholm Globe, 316; Swedish attitude to, 188
Stockholm Bloodbath (1520), 21
Stoltenberg, Jens, 172–3, 215
Store Bededag (Great Prayer Day), 102
Strandvejen, 29, 57
Strokkur, 155, 156
success, attitudes to, 94–6
suicide rates, 223, 250
summer houses, 19–20, 225
Sundberg-Weitman, Brita, 357
Suomi-Ruotsi-maaottelu see Finland–Sweden International
superstition, 148–53
Sutton Hoo, 9
Sverigedemokraterna see Sweden Democrats
Sweden, 291–386; advanced industries, 45–6; alcohol consumption, 158, 247, 248–9, 293, 300, 321, 384; arms industry, 355; army haircuts, 263; attitude to love, 229–30; business life, 304, 352–4; as centralised state, 344–63, 368–70; childcare, 357, 365, 367–70; civic rights, 356–8; class issues, 371–9; clothes, 372; corruption, 41; crime, 321–30, 368, 384; culture, 385–6; current problems, 382–3; defining statistic, 62; and Denmark, 111, 294–5, 298–9, 304, 380–2; diet, 384; divorce rates, 361; driving laws, 323, 346; economic performance, 79–80, 296–7, 385; education, 279, 295; elderly care, 384–5; employment laws, 19, 79, 345–6, 352–3; eugenics, 356–7; family life, 358–60; femininity of culture, 263, 365–6; and Finland, 258–63, 266–7, 294–5; freedom of speech, 335–9, 341–2; future, 382–6; gender equality, 320, 346–7, 357, 364–70; and Germany, 354; happiness, 4–5; history, 21–2, 23, 165–6, 167, 266–7, 352, 354, 374–5; HIV/AIDS, 357; housing estates, 321–9; and Iceland, 137; image abroad, 294–5, 298–9, 380–2; immigration and multiculturalism, 53–4, 62, 296, 321–43, 355–6, 390–1; influence internationally, 294–6; literature, 298, 385; love of being alone, 361; love of consensus, 303–5; manners and etiquette, 240, 306–8, 310–19; media, 384; and modernity, 210, 350, 353; monarchy, 373–9; national character, 8–9, 11–13; national day, 166–7; nationalism, 353; north–south divide, 388; and Norway, 163–4, 165–6, 195–6, 211, 294–5, 303; nuclear industry, 354; parental leave, 364; parties and celebrations, 17, 20, 166–7, 170, 293–4, 306–8; police, 348; pop music, 7, 298, 385; population, 294; pride in buildings, 153; R&D investment, 202; and regional geopolitics, 209; religion, 86–7, 96, 352; republicanism, 376–8; saunas, 232; in Second World War, 266, 354–6; self-image, 301; self-sufficiency and autonomy, 359–70; sexual liberation, 319–20; shops, 7, 297, 298; shyness, 301–2; social conformity, 90, 305, 313–14, 344–70; societies, clubs and groups, 40–1; Swedish Americans, 10–11; Swedish language, 278; taciturnity, 240, 300–4, 308–19; taxation, 81, 357, 383; taxis, 323; technology, 7; trade unions, 352–4; transgender issues, 357; trust levels, 41, 44, 45–6, 53–4, 323; unemployment, 297, 333–4; urban migration, 59; wealth distribution, 35, 53; welfare state, 330–1, 344, 347, 383
Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna), 322, 326, 334, 335, 336–7, 339–43
Swedish People’s Party (Finland), 260
Sweyn Forkbeard, 51
Switzerland, 211, 282
taciturnity: Denmark, 240; Finland, 237–43, 289; Iceland, 240; Norway, 240; Sweden, 240, 300–4, 308–19
Taiwan, 276
tango, 257
taxation: Danish fat tax, 118–19; Denmark, 1, 2, 5, 62–9, 74–9, 81–2; Iceland, 157–8; Sweden, 81, 357, 383
taxis, 323
teachers see education
technology, 7, 45–6, 51, 160, 285–6
Tetra Pak, 297
Thingvellir, 156
Thirty Years War (1618–48), 340
Thisted, 110
Thorning-Schmidt, Helle, 77
Thorsteinsdóttir, Helga Margret, 141
Thorvaldsen, Bertel, 25
Thurman, Uma, 11
Timbuktu (artist), 183
Tjøtta, 169
toasts, 308
tobacco: chewing, 319; see also smoking
Togo, 4
Tolkien, J. R. R., 10, 264
Tønder, 42
tourism, 110, 131, 159, 210, 222
trade unions, 39, 40, 352–4
Trældal, Torgeir, 211
Trägårdh, Lars, 359, 360
Tranæs, Torben, 59, 66–7, 80–1, 124
transgender issues, 357
Transparency International, 41, 47
Trelleborg, 50–1
Trier, Lars von, 6
Trudeau, Pierre, 349
True Finn Party (Finland), 261, 289
trust levels, 30, 41–56, 117, 215–16, 323
trustworthiness, 228, 254–5
TV series, 2, 6, 30, 76–7, 189–90, 214–15
22/7, 171–85
UK: alcohol consumption, 245; attitude to folkloric traditions, 167; attitude to loss of empire, 121; attitude to the state, 361; childcare, 365; crime, 250; education, 278; English language, 9–10; happiness, 1; and Iceland financial crash, 137; immigration and multiculturalism, 390, 391; influence on Scandinavia, 11; and modernity, 350; Napoleonic wars, 22; Scandinavian influences on, 8–10, 51; social mobility, 389; suicide rates, 250; trust levels, 41; wealth distribution, 34, 56
Updike, John, 6
unemployment, 297, 333–4; see also employment laws
Upstairs Downstairs (TV series), 11
urban migration, 57–60, 110–11
USA: attitude to the state, 361; childcare, 370; crime, 250; debt, 128; and Finland, 268, 280; freedom concept, 362, 389; and global warming, 121; happiness, 36; and Iceland, 133, 157–8; immigration and multiculturalism, 331; internal migration, 276; and Palme, 347–8, 349; Scandinavian influences on, 10–11; social mobility, 389; suicide rates, 250; trust levels, 41, 45, 47, 53; wealth distribution and social malady, 34
Uti Vår Hage (TV series), 214–15
Utøya, 171; see also Breivik, Anders Behring
Vanuatu, 36
Vasa (ship), 314–15
Vatnajökull, 154
Venstre Party (Denmark), 68, 119
Vietnam War (1954–75), 347
Vikings: drinking customs, 305; influence on England, 9–10, 51; influence on Nordic society, 51–3, 54–5, 137–8, 352; Jelling stones, 85–6; modern propaganda about, 320; re-enactments, 50–1
Vinterberg, Thomas, 6
Volvo, 297
Vyborg, 268
wages, 62
Wahlroos, Björn ‘Nalle’, 260
Wallenberg family, 353–4
wealth distribution: Denmark, 32–6, 37, 48–9, 56–61, 76–8; and happiness, 33–8; Sweden, 35, 53
welfare state: Denmark, 19, 26, 48–9, 51–2, 55–6, 58, 64–6, 74–8, 331; and happiness, 48–9; Iceland, 158; Norway, 203, 204; Sweden, 330–1, 344, 347, 383; and trust levels, 51–2, 55–6
West Ham FC, 139
Westfjords, 152
Wetterberg, Gunnar, 392
Whisky Belt Denmark, 57
Wife-carrying World Championships, 287–8
wildlife see flora and fauna
Wilkinson, Richard, 33–4, 35–7, 49, 95–6, 121–2
wind turbine industry, 45
Winfrey, Oprah, 3
Winter War (1939–40), 252, 265–6
The Winter War (film), 266
wireless technology, 51
Wollstonecraft, Mary, 114–15, 122, 306
women see gender issues
work ethic and productivity, 18–19, 80–2, 202, 203, 20
7–8
World Happiness Poll, 4
World Islamic Call Society, 328
World War II see Second World War
Yorkshire, 9
Acknowledgements
As you can probably imagine, my Danish friends and family are an exceptionally patient, tolerant, supportive and, above all, forgiving group of people. To them I would like to say, firstly, thank you for all your support and for listening to my various theories about your society and, secondly, sorry if I have been a little hard on your compatriots at times. If I promise to keep my mouth shut from now on, is it okay if I stay a little longer?
I would also like to thank my British publisher, Dan Franklin at Jonathan Cape, for all of his support during what has been an unusually long gestation period for this book and to Kris Potter for his work on the cover.
Norwegian anthropologist Lindis Sloan was kind enough to check through the Norwegian chapters for me (thanks, too, to her husband Roddie for the unforgettable sea-urchin-safari experience). Samppa Rouhtula was similarly helpful in terms of the Finland chapters. Needless to say, their generosity does not mean that either Sampa or Lindis are in any way responsible for any errors or wild inaccuracies to be found within these pages. They are entirely my own work. I didn’t have the nerve to ask any of my Swedish friends to check the Swedish chapters, which explains why there are probably so many mistakes in them. And why I will very likely soon have significantly fewer Swedish friends.
I would also like to thank – in no particular order – either for granting me a useful interview or simply for listening patiently while I explained to them my latest theory about the region in which they were born, and about which they know far more than I ever will: Laura Kolbe, Bertel Haarder, Tor Nørretranders, Roman Schatz, Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Anne Knudsen, Henrik Berggren, Karen-Marie Lillelund, Cecilie Frøkjær, Professor Richard Wilkinson, Christian Bjørnskov, Mike from Trelleborg, Dr Elizabeth Ashman Rowe, Åke Daun, Ove Kaj Pedersen, Mogens Lykketoft, Torben Tranæs, Martin Ågerup, Bent Dupont, Annegrethe Rasmussen, Richard Jenkins, Sree Abhirami Upasaki, Stefan Jonsson, Professor Gíslí Pálsson, Terry Gunnell, Sindri Freysson, Bjarni Brynjólfsson, Inga Jessen, Professor Unnur Dís Skaptadóttir, Morten Høglund, Sindre Bangstad, Yngve Slyngstad, Simen Sætre, the Finnish and Rovaniemi tourist boards, the Finnish Foreign Ministry, Heikki Aittokoski, Matti Peltonen, Paulina Ahokas, Neil Hardwick, the wife-carriers of Sonkajärvi, Dick Fredholm, Ilmar Reepalu, Professor Patrick Scheinin, Bejzat Becirov, Ulf Nilson, René Redzepi, Santa Claus and his elves.
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The Almost Nearly Perfect People Page 43