Berkley Center

Denmark has incredibly high tax rates compared to the United States. Income taxes are capped at 59 percent, and every item that you buy has the equivalent of a 25 percent sales tax included in the price. Certain goods such as cars can have a tax of up to 180 percent, though this is also due to environmental considerations. All of these taxes support the services that are so highly contested in the United States, such as free health care and education at all levels. In fact, university students are even given a stipend to support their living expenses while they study.

The Danes enthusiastically support their welfare state and take pride in the virtual lack of disparity between classes. The minimum wage is equivalent to about twenty dollars per hour, and everyone has access to subsidized entities such as public transportation. Danes believe that everyone should be more or less financially equal and are willing to pay the price for this to goal to be realized.

This willingness to help others extends beyond the state and into people’s daily lives, which is what gives Copenhagen such a pleasant atmosphere. While people on the street may not smile or seem to take note of those around them, they are always quick to lend a hand if needed. In the weeks since I’ve arrived in Copenhagen I’ve experienced the lengths to which Danes will go in order to be accommodating.

In my tendency to get lost, I’ve had to ask people on the street for directions more frequently than I’d like to admit. But every time I’ve stopped someone, they’ve eagerly given me detailed directions as well as offered numerous suggestions of other places to explore. When I went to the post office to buy stamps, I was overwhelmed by the crowdedness and buzz of activity around me. The man next to me muttered something and looked annoyed as he realized he’d forgotten his wallet and could not pay for his postage. However, a woman finishing her transaction took notice, even among all the commotion, and handed him her change as she walked out. While I was ordering at a café, a homeless man walked in, talking to himself. Instead of yelling or calling the police, the man making my sandwich offered him a cup of coffee. These small instances of goodwill add up to give the city an impression of cohesion, where neighborly kindness is simply the norm.

The Danish belief in helping others is what gives Denmark its reputation as the happiest place in the world. The subtle actions Danes take in their daily lives, such as pausing to help a stranger out, contribute to the feeling that everyone is on the same team. The Danes joke that no one comes to Copenhagen for the weather, and I’m starting to find the reasons one does in the little ways that Danes choose to brighten someone else’s day.