Over the years several Finnish readers (OK, one specific Finnish reader) has made the repeated claim that some of the stereotypes that Americans have of politically correct (Fenno)-Scandinavians is actually typical of Sweden, and not Finland, or even the other Nordic countries. As I've been poking around The World Values Survey I think there is something to this. There are some sets of questions where the Swedes give much more "Politically Correct" answers than Finns, or even other Nordics. I note that the answers are Politically Correct because I'm not necessarily saying that the answers someone gives on a survey necessarily translates into the same magnitude of public policy difference. The World Values Survey happens to have Denmark, Sweden and Finland (at least the Four-wave Aggregate of the Values Studies which I'm using). I decided to post responses to a large range of questions (obviously a finite set) for these three nations, as well as Italy as European outgroup. Many of the responses were as you would expect; the Nordic countries are more openly secular than Italy. The fact that Italians were more hostile to the idea of living next to large families also was not surprising, at least judging from what I've heard of how they view the French as breeders. On the other hand, there are a host of questions where Sweden is the outgroup, and another set where Sweden and Denmark are relatively close, with Finland approaching Italy in social outlooks. Finally, many of the results reinforce an interesting point that was clear when I looked at Hong Kong: socialist nations often exhibit some fatigue at the extent of the nanny state, while nations with thinner social safety nets have a more positive attitude toward future extension of the welfare state. Since the results below are a finite subset I invite readers to go in and explore The World Values Survey themselves.

Note: Sample sizes are around 1,000 for each nation. Additionally the surveys were done in 1999 to 2001.

	Denmark	Finland	Italy	Sweden
Family very important	87.1	80	90	89.5
Politics very important	8.1	3.7	8	11.4
Religion very important	7.9	13.8	33	10.7
Very happy	45.1	24.3	18.4	36.7
Mentions good manners as important child quality	72.4	89.8	74.8	70.3
Mentions independence as important child quality	80.7	57.6	41.1	68.8
Mentions hard work as important child quality	2.1	12	36.1	3.9
Mentions tolerance and respect as important child quality	87.3	82.7	75	92.5
Mentions thrift as important child quality	9.6	22.6	34.7	30.5
Mentions religious faith as important child quality	8.2	15.7	31.4	4.9
Mentions unselfishness as important child quality	55.8	20.8	41.4	32.7
Mentions obedience as important child quality	14.4	30.2	27.8	12.7
Approve abortion when woman not married	81.4	59.1	38.8	89.8
Approve abortion if no more children wanted	72.5	52.3	31	85
Spend time with friends weekly	60.1	60.3	61.9	66.5
Spend time with people at sport, cultural or communal organization	27.3	43.6	55.4	38.5
Frequently discusses politics with friends	24.9	7.4	12.9	19.4
Belong to social welfare organization	6.5	10.4	6.4	20.8
Belong to human rights organization	4.1	5.9	2.8	15
Belong to environmental group	13.1	4.5	3.8	11.3
Would not like to have criminal neighbor	30.6	39.4	47.4	33
Would not like to have neighbor of different race	7.4	12.4	15.6	2.5
Would not like to have neighbor who is heavy drinker	36.1	51	40.4	33.2
Would not like to have neighbor who is Muslim	16.3	19.3	17.2	9
Would not like to have neighbor who is immigrant	10.6	13	16.5	2.8
Would not like to have neighbor who has AIDS	5.8	20.9	31	6.7
Would not like to have neighbor who is drug addict	59.7	75.3	54.6	60.4
Would not like to have neighbor who is homosexual	8	21.3	28.7	6.1
Would not like to have neighbor who is a Jew	2.5	8.6	12.9	2.1
Would not like to have neighbor who is Gypsy	15.3	44.3	55.6	19.9
Would not like to have neighbor who is Left-wing extremist	9.2	13.3	28.2	23
Would not like to have neighbor who is Right-wing extremist	20.4	17.8	30	47.8
Would not like to have large families as neighbors	4.4	7.5	13.9	4.1
Most people can be trusted	66.5	58	32.6	66.3
Strongly agree with increasing taxes to prevent pollution	22.1	8	6.5	28.2
Agree men should have jobs when they are scarce	6.2	9.9	27	2.3
Agree employers should give priority to natives over immigrants	34.3	65.3	61.4	11.3
Strongly agree that people should not have to work if they don't want to	2.3	5.5	4.8	2
Agree that child needs home with father and mother	66.9	60.4	92.4	60.1
Approve of woman as single parent	52.3	53.6	27.5	31.7
Agree strongly that women want children and home	3	9.6	17	9.1
Disagree strongly that women want children and home	27.2	8.9	3.3	27.3
Agree marriage is outdated	15	18	17	20.4
Agree strongly that long-term relationship necessary to be happy	15.1	8.7	20.1	11.7
Faithfulness very important for successful marriage	84.3	81.6	84.1	88.5
Respect & appreciation very important for successful marriage	84.7	85.7	90.2	93.9
Religious beliefs very important for successful marriage	12.7	15.3	23.4	12.9
Agreement on politics very important for successful marriage	1.7	4.2	7.2	5.9
Understanding & tolerance very important for successful marriage	79.3	69	81.4	87.2
Children very important for successful marriage	36	54.7	58.2	58.9
Agree strongly that being a housewife just as fulfilling	13.8	30.4	12.6	17
Disagree strongly that being a housewife just as fulfilling	9.8	2.4	7.7	14.1
Eliminating very big income inequalities very important	10.1	30.5	34.9	17.9
Eliminating very big income inequalities not at all important	23.8	3.9	6.3	7.3
Guaranteeing basic needs for all very important	48.3	68.6	70.4	71.3
Guaranteeing basic needs for all not at all important	5.1	0.9	1.1	1.4
More emphasis on technology in future good thing	61.9	54.9	64.5	35.3
More emphasis on the individual in future good thing	93.3	89.7	92.4	89.7
More emphasis on respect for authority in future good thing	38.2	39.2	51.3	22.2
More emphasis on family life in future good thing	95.3	94.9	92.3	78.1
The government should take more responsibility (10)	1.3	3.1	12.2	1.8
People should take more responsibility (0)	11.4	11.7	8.6	14.7
Competition is good (0)	13.8	10.8	18.7	17.9
Competition is harmful (10)	2.3	2.4	4.4	0.8
State should control firms	3.7	2.4	8.5	2
Private sector should have freedom to run firms	13.2	9	15.3	14.9
A great deal of confidence in the United Nations	9.2	5.2	18.2	14.2
Emphasis on freedom over equality	69.4	53.1	39.7	61.6
Concerned with living conditions of immigrants	4.3	3.3	6.6	7.1
Prepared to help immigrants – Absolutely yes	5.6	2.7	6	10.7
Prepared to help sick & disabled – Absolutely yes	19.4	15.4	19.1	28.2
Prepared to help immediate family – Absolutely yes	58.8	53	50.2	78.8
Let anyone come (Open Borders)	7.4	10.3	9.7	16.3
Strict limits to immigration	66.1	51.9	38.3	28.7
Immigrants should maintain distinct customs & traditions	23.4	32	59.7	36
Religious person	76.5	66.6	85.8	38.9
Clear guidelines about what is good & evil	10.4	29.3	26.4	15.8
Attend religious services once a week	2	3.2	30.3	3.3
Believe in God – No	31.1	17.5	6.5	46.6
Believe in reincarnation – No	82.7	81.6	82.2	78
Do you believe lucky charm protects? - Definitely not	65.4	60.4	68.6	61.5
Baptism important? - Yes	65.3	84.3	89	59.8
Church wedding important? - Yes	63	82.7	84.9	62.4
Funeral with religious services important? - Yes	79.9	89.8	89.4	77.6
Politics who don't believe in God unfit for office – Strongly Disagree	60.3	22	15.3	47.5
Cheating on taxes never justifiable	65.6	52.9	56.6	50.7
Accepting bribe never justifiable	92.9	79.9	79.3	68.5
Suicide never justifiable	51.1	41.1	62.2	28.8
Divorce never justifiable	7	3.1	18.5	2.1
Lying never justifiable	60.7	40.3	50.7	41.4
Adultery never justifiable	67.1	52.5	50.7	50.5
Throwing away litter never justifiable	79.8	51.4	73.8	43.8
Casual sex never justifiable	46.3	33.8	48.5	26.6
Very proud of nationality	48	56.1	39.3	41.4

Labels: Finn baiting, Nordics, World Values Survey