Book Review: The Nordic Theory of Everything - In Search of a Better Life

“Finland’s experience shows that it is possible to achieve excellence by focusing not on competition but on cooperation, and not on choice but on equity”

Anu Partanen, makes a compelling case for the Nordic theory of Love, a theory which focuses on providing equal opportunity to all, above all else. She explains how this idea has led to the popular Nordic policies of free healthcare, free education, a higher (but reasonable, she argues) tax rate and corporate innovation. Been born and brought up in Finland, Partanen moved to USA in 2008. She channels the duality of her experiences in Finland and America to dispel popular American misconceptions about the Nordic nations. In the process, Partanen exposes the current rift between American ideals and American reality.

Through the varying issues, Partanen maintains that the Nordic social contract is designed to promote individual expression. This is possible only when one’s social responsibilities, such as infant care, health care and work pressures, do not threaten to consume an individual. It requires for the Nordic governments to step-in to ensure that these social responsibilities are reasonably distributed between the government and the individual. It also requires the Nordic citizens to pool their resources in terms of trust and taxes for use by everyone. Partanen explains, carefully and compellingly, that this is a deliberate exercise in preserving and promoting the happiness of an individual. Many happy individuals together form a happy nation. This is the opposite of the concepts of socialism and the welfare state.

As a reader, the highlight of Partanen’s book was its flow. The arguments were well-structured. In addition, the balance between the emotional and the rational appeal meant that the book always had my complete attention. Even though the book highlights the positives of the Nordic life, it does not viciously attack the American life. Partanen, does not impose, but proposes that borrowing a trick or two from the Nordic books might help American reality come much closer to the highly regarded American ideal of individual sovereignty.