Socialism is an economic system in which the government, usually on behalf of the people, controls the means of production of resources and the goods produced from those resources. People’s basic needs such as housing, food, and healthcare are met by the government in exchange for loyalty and productivity. In most socialist systems, the government has complete control over the population with the goal of doing what is best for everyone, and the people have very little of it. However, in democratic socialist countries, socialism is a goal pursued slowly, with the people retaining ultimate power over the country’s political system.
Check out the top 5 democratic socialist countries in Europe.
5. Belgium
- Government expenditure: 7
- Social progress index: 13
- Average rank: 10
The country’s public procurement expenditure was particularly high at 15.2% of GDP in 2021, above the OECD average of 12.9 . %. Furthermore, satisfaction with public services was above the OECD average, with 90% satisfied with healthcare, 75% satisfied with education, and 71% satisfied with government services. However, trust in public institutions is below OECD standards, with only 32% trusting the government, 49% trusting local governments, and 41% trusting civil servants. Meanwhile, confidence in Congress remains at 33%.
4. Austria
- Government expenditure: 9
- Social Progress Index: 11
- Average rank: 10
Austria performs well in critical areas of public governance, as seen by high levels of satisfaction with public services, particularly the judiciary (76%) and healthcare (81%) sectors. Austria’s adherence to democratic resilience is demonstrated by its ethical AI deployment and stakeholder engagement in decision-making, despite the country’s slightly below average trust in public institutions (IGI score of 0.51).
It is also one of the highest paying countries for physiotherapists in the world.
3. Sweden
- Government expenditure: 15
- Social progress index: 5
- Average rank: 10
Sweden’s public sector is very stable, with government expenditure in 2019 at 49.2% of GDP, mainly It is allocated to social security. His 28.6% of the workforce is employed in the government sector. Sweden has a strong gender equality record, with women holding 55% of senior government positions and 47% of parliamentary seats. However, it lags behind in digital government, ranking last in the OECD Digital Government Index, particularly in terms of responsiveness to the needs of its citizens.
2. Iceland
- Government Spending: 14
- Social Progress Index: 4
- Average Ranking: 9
In 2019, Iceland spent 43% of its GDP on public spending, with 24% of its workforce working in the public sector. is employed by. , the fourth highest among OECD member countries. Additionally, 32.7% of public spending was devoted to workers’ compensation, the highest in the OECD. Despite this, Iceland performs poorly in digital governance, ranking second from bottom on the OECD Digital Government Index, and particularly lags in data accessibility. Conversely, the poverty rate is 4.9%, the lowest in the OECD.
1. Finland
- Government Expenditure: 8
- Social Progress Index: 3
- Average Ranking: 5.5
Finland stands out among OECD countries for its extensive social safety net, contributing 24% of GDP to social security. , which is twice as much as the country. Almost the same as the OECD average. While Finland has a high level of youth involvement in politics, it lags behind in terms of diversity in public sector employment, with only 17% of people between the ages of 18 and 34. Despite this, Finnish citizens show great trust in their government (81%) and are at the top of her OECD rankings for satisfaction with the education system at 87%. and trust in the judiciary (81%). It is the most democratic social state in Europe.