The Denmark secret: how it became the most trusting country

Quality of life vs compensation

• Multiple workers in Denmark report significantly lower tech salaries than in the US, but still higher than many European countries.
• US big-tech offices in Denmark can pay 2×+ local senior dev rates, mainly via stock; Danish firms rarely offer equity and often cap upside.
• Some say the best-paying local roles are concentrated in scale-ups, well-funded startups, and select large firms, often via informal hiring networks.
• There are complaints that many jobs are never truly advertised and hiring can feel like nepotism, framed locally as “trust.”
• Many posters emphasize that quality of life (kids’ freedom, low crime, healthcare, daycare, no need for cars) outweighs lower cash pay.

Taxes, costs, and the welfare state

• Nominal top income tax near 55% is debated; several claim typical effective rates around mid-30s to ~40% at high incomes, comparable to some US cities after all taxes.
• High VAT and income tax are seen as “insane” by some, but others argue they buy excellent services and social safety.
• A special expat tax scheme (lower flat rate) exists for very high earners.
• Denmark is noted for low government debt and solid trade balance but high private/housing debt.

Trust, safety, and children’s independence

• Parents in Denmark and parts of Germany describe letting kids roam cities or neighborhoods freely, unlocked bikes, mutual oversight, and low fear of crime.
• In the US, leaving kids unattended is associated with interventions by child protection services despite low stranger-kidnapping risk.
• There is discussion of comparative missing-child statistics suggesting substantially fewer cases in Denmark than in the US, even after accounting for definitional differences.

Cultural homogeneity, values, and immigration

• A major thread debates whether high trust stems from cultural homogeneity.
• Some argue Denmark is relatively homogeneous by global standards and actively promotes assimilation (e.g., mandatory daycare with Danish values in high-immigrant areas).
• Others contest equating culture with ethnicity, stressing that shared civic values, not “racial purity,” matter. Switzerland is cited as diverse yet high-trust.
• Several note strong pressure to conform and a distinctive “Danishness” that immigrants often find exclusionary or cult-like.

Comparisons with other countries

• Denmark is contrasted with:
  • The US: higher pay but worse safety net, more anxiety about healthcare, education, and crime; small Midwestern towns once felt similar to Denmark but are now described as hit by opioids, meth, stagnation, and declining institutions.
  • Germany: compulsory schooling (no homeschooling) seen by some as authoritarian and by others as a safeguard against parallel societies.
  • India and Eastern Europe: examples of high or comparable effective tax rates with poorer services or lower trust.
  • France: cited research on a “society of distrust” for contrast.

Critiques and downsides of Denmark

• Posters caution that glowing portrayals omit a “dark side”:
  • Jante Law (social norm against standing out),
  • very “feminine”/consensus-oriented values,
  • exclusive social culture, and
  • harsh climate.
• Some expats describe Denmark as great for work and raising kids “if you play along,” but emotionally or socially difficult otherwise.
• It’s noted that expat satisfaction rankings place Denmark near the bottom despite high objective indicators.
• Another concern: high trust can shade into gullibility and easy exploitation, especially by newcomers who don’t adopt local norms; several believe trust is declining over the last decades, particularly in Dane–foreigner relations.

Education, socialization, and state power

• The role of schools as tools of socialization is debated via Germany’s ban on homeschooling.
• Proponents say compulsory schooling protects children, prevents extreme parallel subcultures, and fosters shared democratic values.
• Opponents emphasize children with special needs (e.g., ADHD), bad institutional experiences, and the desire for parental autonomy, especially if the state itself becomes illiberal.