For example: Finland has transparency and accountability, like public documents are generally open for review and a free media holds leaders accountable (unlike the US concealing the Epstein files). Their society values social welfare, small income gaps and consensus-based political decisions rather than heavy-handed control. That mindset is absent in American subculture since one has to fend for themselves for survival.
People in Finland have high trust in neighbors and strangers which in turn creates a safe social environment that naturally extends to public institutions, again: there’s too much distrust in the US even towards people next to them rendering the environment unstable. Also, corruption is low in Finland (you don’t hear about lobbyists over there) but America: it’s too much of “both parties are bought by the highest bidder”.
Also, Finnish people have high confidence and trust towards:
- Law Enforcement (police) at 89%
- Judicial system (courts) at 75%
- The military (armed forces): 9/10
In hindsight: how many Americans nationwide trust the police, court system and the military?
Finland also has ~6 million people, while the US has ~340 million
There are the differences between governing a country or an empire
Ahh so we’re admitting that Trump might be Emperor…
The winters here are harsh. Being able to trust your neighbour used to be a matter of life and death. Also we live next Russia. No matter how bad things are here, that remains a constant reminder of how much worse things could be.
I don’t understand how this is still a question, since it seems the answer is in the post itself, but I still want to add an element: police training is generally horrible in the US, while in Europe it’s much longer and more serious. Police here rarely has guns and is extensively trained in legal matters and de-escalation. This generates the trust you can see.