On the Nature of Things | Forum

must be propoganda from the lizard kings - all the best countries in this measure are northern euro or derivatives thereof ~~~

noddy wrote:must be propoganda from the lizard kings - all the best countries in this measure are northern euro or derivatives thereof ~~~

It's mostly those countries which did not fail in exploiting other peoples when they had the chance...

Endovelico wrote:

noddy wrote:must be propoganda from the lizard kings - all the best countries in this measure are northern euro or derivatives thereof ~~~

It's mostly those countries which did not fail in exploiting other peoples when they had the chance...

Not even wrong.

In the set of green countries

165 Germany
166 Austria
166 Netherlands
168 Canada
169 Australia
170 Ireland
171 Iceland
172 Luxembourg
173 New Zealand
174 Denmark
175 Switzerland
175 Norway
177 Sweden
178 Finland

only Germany was a belligerent in the 20th century.

Nevertheless it's an index of Western European nations.

Typhoon wrote:

Endovelico wrote:

noddy wrote:must be propoganda from the lizard kings - all the best countries in this measure are northern euro or derivatives thereof ~~~

It's mostly those countries which did not fail in exploiting other peoples when they had the chance...

Not even wrong.

In the set of green countries (...)

165 Germany - Slavs, Jews, Gypsies, colonized peoples (Togo, Cameroon, Tanzania, SW Africa)...
166 Austria - The slavic peoples of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire
166 Netherlands - Indonesia
168 Canada - First Nations
169 Australia - Aborigenes
170 Ireland - Leprechaun
171 Iceland -
172 Luxembourg - Portuguese workers who make up 25% of the work force
173 New Zealand - Maori
174 Denmark - Greenlanders
175 Switzerland - all the "guest workers" who for long worked under appalling conditions...
175 Norway -
177 Sweden - Finns, Norwegians
178 Finland -

Endovelico wrote:

Typhoon wrote:

Endovelico wrote:

noddy wrote:must be propoganda from the lizard kings - all the best countries in this measure are northern euro or derivatives thereof ~~~

It's mostly those countries which did not fail in exploiting other peoples when they had the chance...

Not even wrong.

In the set of green countries (...)

165 Germany - Slavs, Jews, Gypsies, colonized peoples (Togo, Cameroon, Tanzania, SW Africa)...
166 Austria - The slavic peoples of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire
166 Netherlands - Indonesia
168 Canada - First Nations
169 Australia - Aborigenes
170 Ireland - Leprechaun
171 Iceland -
172 Luxembourg - Portuguese workers who make up 25% of the work force
173 New Zealand - Maori
174 Denmark - Greenlanders
175 Switzerland - all the "guest workers" who for long worked under appalling conditions...
175 Norway -
177 Sweden - Finns, Norwegians
178 Finland -

The assumption that their rating is due to the above is false.

If that were the case, then Russia, Hungary, Spain, and Portugal should be green.

Most of the colonial empires ended more than half a century ago.

You can't really say that e.g. Australia is doing so well because of their inhumane treatment of the Aboriginees specifically, but clearly all of the countries near the top of the list have benefited from the industrial revolution/colonial era without getting too tied up in the downside. A history of being exploitative rather than exploited is helpful, but so is a good location and some luck. Lower population also seems to make things easier.

Scandinavia was isolated from colonialism for the most part, industrialized relatively early, avoided the USSR, and have smallish populations willing to accept social democracy combined with market economies. It would require some exceptional self-sabotage to not be at the top of the list. Likewise its hard to see what Chad could possibly do to rocket up the rankings, even under optimal conditions. There's just more at work here than individual national politics or culture.

Ibrahim wrote:You can't really say that e.g. Australia is doing so well because of their inhumane treatment of the Aboriginees specifically, but clearly all of the countries near the top of the list have benefited from the industrial revolution/colonial era without getting too tied up in the downside. A history of being exploitative rather than exploited is helpful, but so is a good location and some luck. Lower population also seems to make things easier.

Scandinavia was isolated from colonialism for the most part, industrialized relatively early, avoided the USSR, and have smallish populations willing to accept social democracy combined with market economies. It would require some exceptional self-sabotage to not be at the top of the list. Likewise its hard to see what Chad could possibly do to rocket up the rankings, even under optimal conditions. There's just more at work here than individual national politics or culture.

The Swedes and Norwegians are lucky that they had the Finns to be the most ruthless snow fighters from anywhere ever between them and the Russians.

Enki wrote:

Ibrahim wrote:You can't really say that e.g. Australia is doing so well because of their inhumane treatment of the Aboriginees specifically, but clearly all of the countries near the top of the list have benefited from the industrial revolution/colonial era without getting too tied up in the downside. A history of being exploitative rather than exploited is helpful, but so is a good location and some luck. Lower population also seems to make things easier.

Scandinavia was isolated from colonialism for the most part, industrialized relatively early, avoided the USSR, and have smallish populations willing to accept social democracy combined with market economies. It would require some exceptional self-sabotage to not be at the top of the list. Likewise its hard to see what Chad could possibly do to rocket up the rankings, even under optimal conditions. There's just more at work here than individual national politics or culture.

The Swedes and Norwegians are lucky that they had the Finns to be the most ruthless snow fighters from anywhere ever between them and the Russians.

An interesting aspect of Finnish history is how their cozying up to the Nazis during the Winter War left them outside of both NATO and the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. They certainly took their own path.

Ibrahim wrote:You can't really say that e.g. Australia is doing so well because of their inhumane treatment of the Aboriginees specifically, but clearly all of the countries near the top of the list have benefited from the industrial revolution/colonial era without getting too tied up in the downside. A history of being exploitative rather than exploited is helpful, but so is a good location and some luck. Lower population also seems to make things easier.

Only Germany and the Netherlands has significant colonies.

Interesting that Canada and Australia are both former colonies of the British Empire.

Ibrahim wrote:Scandinavia was isolated from colonialism for the most part, industrialized relatively early, avoided the USSR, and have smallish populations willing to accept social democracy combined with market economies. It would require some exceptional self-sabotage to not be at the top of the list. Likewise its hard to see what Chad could possibly do to rocket up the rankings, even under optimal conditions. There's just more at work here than individual national politics or culture.

The Swedes seem be making a bit of an effort to do so.

Typhoon wrote:

Ibrahim wrote:You can't really say that e.g. Australia is doing so well because of their inhumane treatment of the Aboriginees specifically, but clearly all of the countries near the top of the list have benefited from the industrial revolution/colonial era without getting too tied up in the downside. A history of being exploitative rather than exploited is helpful, but so is a good location and some luck. Lower population also seems to make things easier.

Only Germany and the Netherlands has significant colonies.

Interesting that Canada and Australia are both former colonies of the British Empire.

Right, but so is much of Africa. The key is real estate. Canada, Australia, NZ, and the US had all the advantages. The US just got hung up with some other problems and its larger population, which is the only real reason that it lags behind the other three in terms of livability/sustainability. But in all four cases a relatively affluent and technologically advanced group were able to seize unspoiled land far in excess of the needs of their population at the time, and industrialize/expand in a fairly laissez faire political environment. The relative disinterest of British administration (compared to the close attention they gave non-white colonies) was the advantage. An unprecedented historical opportunity never to be replicated.

Ibrahim wrote:Scandinavia was isolated from colonialism for the most part, industrialized relatively early, avoided the USSR, and have smallish populations willing to accept social democracy combined with market economies. It would require some exceptional self-sabotage to not be at the top of the list. Likewise its hard to see what Chad could possibly do to rocket up the rankings, even under optimal conditions. There's just more at work here than individual national politics or culture.

The Swedes seem be making a bit of an effort to do so.

I'm not that familiar with current events in Sweden, but they seem to have a pretty good thing going. Is there trouble brewing? Beyond the general European economic wind-down, of course.

People, advise me, there's a stink of desperation in this, or maybe I'm reading my own failed state instead. You tell me....'>........

Miss_Faucie_Fishtits wrote:People, advise me, there's a stink of desperation in this, or maybe I'm reading my own failed state instead. You tell me....'>........

Reads like Spengler after smoking a joint...

Endovelico wrote:

Miss_Faucie_Fishtits wrote:People, advise me, there's a stink of desperation in this, or maybe I'm reading my own failed state instead. You tell me....'>........

Reads like Spengler after smoking a joint...

Thank you VERY Much for your post, Endo.

After you smoke the joint?

Or after Spengler smokes the joint

Or both.......

Just joking...

Endovelico wrote:

Miss_Faucie_Fishtits wrote:People, advise me, there's a stink of desperation in this, or maybe I'm reading my own failed state instead. You tell me....'>........

Reads like Spengler after smoking a joint...

I think you're too kind.

This Ledeen guy either was on hard drugs when he wrote this, or he has serious personal psychological problems.

"Spengler", agree with him or not, is at least always making some kind of sense, even if a warped one.

Can't figure out what's so special about Ladeen's 4thov july rant. Sounds he just finds reason to be cheerful because bad things that happen usually only announce the good things to come!

A happy ending.. everybody dreams of them.

Speaking of Failed States. Colombia is looking to make a serious comeback. My wife is down there doing some work. It sounds really interesting. Bogota's startup scene sounds pretty damn cool. I hope to get down there to meet some folks sometime.

Enki wrote:Speaking of Failed States. Colombia is looking to make a serious comeback.

A number of Middle Eastern and Central Asian writers are talking about using Latin America as a short-term model for recovery and stabilization. Whatever Columbia's problems today, compare it to the 80's. Their progress has been remarkable, and I hope things continue to improve for them.

Japan ranked worse than us? WTF is up with that?