Failed leadership, not a failed state
Failed leadership, not a failed state Raffique Shah Sunday, June 1st 2008 FOR many decades Scandinavian countries-Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland-have ranked highest in the world in economic and social indices. Far from being endowed with an abundance of natural resources, these countries wisely used what little they had (except Norway, which became oil-rich in the 1970s) to develop societies that are at the upper spectrum of global rankings in just about every field. They rank among the top ten countries in income distribution (rich-poor gap), per capita gross national income (GNI), and several other globally accepted indicators of successful countries. In order to achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth, they all have almost punitive taxes imposed on the wealthy and social security systems that guarantee pensioners a better quality of life in their winter years. Their tax systems have caused their only two multi-billionaires among the top 100 in Forbes Rich List-the Ingva