Yesterday a report was issued ranking various countries in the world according to competitiveness and the winner was - suspense, suspense - Finland.
The US was second.
How can it be that a country with half the population of the DR, whose old people were born into Czarist Russia (very poor), and which is either arctic or sub-arctic with so much of its food, fuel and other supplies having to be imported - be the most competitive in the world? Add to that the cradle to grave welfare that bankrupts so many other countries. Also add the fact that they are the only country to ever repay debts to the US, even as they were paying protection money to the Soviet Union to keep it out. How can it have such a strong position in fields like cellular phones (Nokia), pharmaceuticals, heavy equipment (Valmet), shipbuilding, etc.?
It has even been called (by many, an opinion of course) the most like the US of any country in Europe, even more so than our mother country England. It's the rowdiest country in Scandinavia, in a controlled sort of way (cowboy-like, perhaps). The Swedes look down on Finns, calling them "people of the forest" or frontiersmen, uncultured. Some Finns even drive American pickup trucks, almost unseen in Continental Europe. Perhaps the US comparison assumes a 1950's image of the US, when it was a kinder, gentler place.
How is Finland able to do this? Willpower, scrupulous honesty, lack of corruption in government, pride, education, willingness to fight and die (many did) for a better life, a strong work ethic even though they still like to party.
Helsinki has perhaps the best transportation system in the world. Both streetcars and buses have overlapping routes. There is also a subway for some areas. They run far into the night, until one o'clcok or later, to enable Finns to get home safely (without drinking and driving) from the frolicking that they like so much.
Finns are probably the world's greatest linguists. Those who don't speak at least 4 foreign languages probably don't even think about themselves as having foreign language skills. That's because the first 3 are almost automatic. Both Swedish and Finnish are required in school, and probably half or more speak English, too, as the "world" language. Those who really aspire to get ahead therefore "start" with German, Russian, or Spanish. They pronounce every letter of a word. Even if it sounds awkward (which it often does), they can't help but be understood. Contrast that with the guttural, choppy DR dialect, in which it almost seems to be a macho game to keep from being understood.
How could it be a model for the DR?
Finland is a a very open society. So is the DR. The people are very hospitable, as are Dominicans. The Finns love their dancing bars (discotheques), heavy drinking (but disciplined) and every neighborhood has one, just like the DR. If one strikes up a friendship with a Finn, maybe over only a couple of beers, he may very well be invited into the Finn's home. If the invitation is refused, the Finn will be truly hurt.
Will today's children in the DR see the same miracle in their lifetimes?
The US was second.
How can it be that a country with half the population of the DR, whose old people were born into Czarist Russia (very poor), and which is either arctic or sub-arctic with so much of its food, fuel and other supplies having to be imported - be the most competitive in the world? Add to that the cradle to grave welfare that bankrupts so many other countries. Also add the fact that they are the only country to ever repay debts to the US, even as they were paying protection money to the Soviet Union to keep it out. How can it have such a strong position in fields like cellular phones (Nokia), pharmaceuticals, heavy equipment (Valmet), shipbuilding, etc.?
It has even been called (by many, an opinion of course) the most like the US of any country in Europe, even more so than our mother country England. It's the rowdiest country in Scandinavia, in a controlled sort of way (cowboy-like, perhaps). The Swedes look down on Finns, calling them "people of the forest" or frontiersmen, uncultured. Some Finns even drive American pickup trucks, almost unseen in Continental Europe. Perhaps the US comparison assumes a 1950's image of the US, when it was a kinder, gentler place.
How is Finland able to do this? Willpower, scrupulous honesty, lack of corruption in government, pride, education, willingness to fight and die (many did) for a better life, a strong work ethic even though they still like to party.
Helsinki has perhaps the best transportation system in the world. Both streetcars and buses have overlapping routes. There is also a subway for some areas. They run far into the night, until one o'clcok or later, to enable Finns to get home safely (without drinking and driving) from the frolicking that they like so much.
Finns are probably the world's greatest linguists. Those who don't speak at least 4 foreign languages probably don't even think about themselves as having foreign language skills. That's because the first 3 are almost automatic. Both Swedish and Finnish are required in school, and probably half or more speak English, too, as the "world" language. Those who really aspire to get ahead therefore "start" with German, Russian, or Spanish. They pronounce every letter of a word. Even if it sounds awkward (which it often does), they can't help but be understood. Contrast that with the guttural, choppy DR dialect, in which it almost seems to be a macho game to keep from being understood.
How could it be a model for the DR?
Finland is a a very open society. So is the DR. The people are very hospitable, as are Dominicans. The Finns love their dancing bars (discotheques), heavy drinking (but disciplined) and every neighborhood has one, just like the DR. If one strikes up a friendship with a Finn, maybe over only a couple of beers, he may very well be invited into the Finn's home. If the invitation is refused, the Finn will be truly hurt.
Will today's children in the DR see the same miracle in their lifetimes?