According to international surveys, Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world. This suggests that it must be a pretty nice place to live, and a country where people are proud to say they are from! Right?
Well, what are Danish people proud of? If you ask this question, chances are the word “proud” will get some mixed reactions. “Proud” is connected to something one has worked hard to achieve – and the country you are born in is seen as a given rather than an achievement because you have no control over it.
So rather than being proud, many Danes feel grateful and fortunate to live in Denmark. There are many reasons why – keep reading to learn about some things that might just make a Dane grin and say “Yep, that’s how we do it in Denmark!”
1. Being considered the happiest people in the world
As stated above, international surveys suggest that Danish citizens are some of the happiest people. What makes it that way? We’ll look at some of the reasons why more closely in a second. But the source of Danish people’s happiness seems to be a mix of good options when planning your life, good work conditions, as well as the ability to stick together (so, a strong sense of community) and to trust each other as well as authorities.
Surely, part of the happy and relaxed approach to life also has something to do with the importance of hygge – spending time in a cozy, relaxed setting with others or alone can work wonders.
2. The welfare state
As a Danish citizen or resident, you have to pay a lot of taxes – but in return, the state “has got your back” in many ways.
For example, education – including going to university – is free! And it gets better: As a Danish citizen (or an EU student who works or has lived in Denmark for a while) you even get paid a monthly amount to cover some of your living costs.
Healthcare is also free, which is not the case in many other countries.
There isn’t an official minimum wage – however, not many employers give their workers salaries under 100-110 DKK per hour (roughly 15-16 USD or 14 EUR). The workweek is also relatively short with full-time corresponding to 37 hours of work per week.
This makes it possible for many people to lead a fulfilling life that doesn’t just revolve around making it through the month, worrying about rent and being able to afford groceries. Student support allows people from all backgrounds to get the education they want and making it less likely that they will have debts in the future. Shorter workweeks and decent pay also make it easier to establish a good work-life balance.
3. Equality
Equality is valued a lot in Danish society, for example when it comes to gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights: Voting rights for women have been around since 1915, and Denmark was the first country ever to legalize civil partnerships for same-sex couples in 1989.
But apart from single events, the general mindset in Denmark is that no person is better than anyone else – for example, your financial status shouldn’t determine how you are treated and what path you have to take in life. Income inequality and poverty rates in Denmark are some of the lowest in the world. Gender inequality is also relatively low, and there are quite good options when it comes to raising a family while maintaining a career. There are many women in high positions in companies and politics.
The notion that everyone is the same stems from an unwritten law called janteloven – which basically states that no one should believe they are better than others. It also says that no one should believe that they are special. Whether the last statement is true or a good thing is controversial, of course. But the general agreement that everyone is equal has a whole bunch of positive consequences because it also implies that everyone should have the same opportunities in life.
4. LEGO is Danish
Many might not know it, but the legendary building bricks (that are incredibly painful to step on) are a Danish invention! They are popular around the world and come in kits that you can build fancy spaceships with, as well as the basic bricks everybody knows and has built a house out of.
The name LEGO comes from a combination of the Danish words leg (play) and godt (good, well). It was the name of Ole Kirk Christiansen’s (1891-1958) toy company that started out making wooden toys. In the 1950s, it switched to producing building bricks made out of plastic. The success of LEGO bricks may well be due to their ability to let kids use their imagination to build pretty much anything they want!
5. So is H.C. Andersen
Many internationally known fairytales were originally written by none other than Danish author H.C. Andersen (1805-1875) in the 1800s. Did you know that “The Little Mermaid”, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, “The Snow Queen”, “The Ugly Duckling” and many more were all born in the famous writer’s imagination?
Chances are that you’ve seen some of the Disney adaptations or even read or heard the fairytales. You may also have walked past H.C. Andersen in statue form – for example at the central park in New York (USA), in Bratislava (Slovakia), or in Sydney (Australia).
6. Danish Design and Architecture
Danish design is known all over the world: it is elegant and simple, even minimalistic, with clear lines and usually muted colors.
One of the most famous Danish designers must be Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971). He is best known for his chairs (you can’t tell me you haven’t sat on a chair that looks like one of the two in the top right corner of the picture above), but he also created some well-known works of architecture, like the government hall in Aarhus, Denmark.
Speaking of architecture – you’ve probably seen pictures of the iconic Sydney Opera House or admired it in real life, right? You guessed it – it is designed by a Danish architect, namely Jørn Ultzon (1918-2008).
7. Sustainable energy
Denmark is flat, windy, and surrounded by ocean – three great prerequisites for making lots of green energy! Half of the electricity supply in Denmark is produced using wind energy, and the long-term plan is to stop using fossil energy altogether.
This makes Denmark one of the top runners when it comes to green energy. Solar and water energy is also going to be used more widely.
Conclusion
So these are some of the possible answers to the question “What are Danish people proud of?” – or at least, things that make Denmark a great place to live, and that its inhabitants are grateful for!
In Denmark, people are usually taught to think critically and ask questions from a young age – so everyone has their own opinions about living in Denmark of course, both positive and negative. But we hope that these gave you some insights into the positives that many Danes see in their country, and that they will be happy to tell you about!
