"Economist" - Where to Live in 2005

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Did anyone else see this? I'm reporting this second hand, but I'm sure someone out there will correct any glaring errors. The Economist rates Ireland as being the best place to live in the World.

Countries were rated on a basket of indexes, including income, health, equality, quality of family life, security, freedom, etc, etc. The top ten were:

Ireland

Switzerland

Norway

Luxembourg

Sweden

Australia

Iceland

Italy

Denmark

Spain

France was ranked 25th. According to my correspondent, France put in a first rate performance in most catagories, but was dragged down by a combination of high unemployment, racial tensions, widespread mistrust of government....and road deaths. Just how many people get killed on the roads in this country? It must be carnage out there!

[Pangur]

Surveys like this score countries on a variety of variables, then tot up the aggregate.  As an Irish person, currently in London and in the process of a move to France, I reckon my quality of life is better in many ways in London that in my native Dublin - house prices at home are crazy, the cost of living is very high and society is in a state of flux.   I'll find out in a few months but I'm certainly hoping quality of life in France isn't reflected accurately in this survey....

Indeed, the theory posited by John Waters in the Guardian  http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1354677,00.html is that as Ireland is straddled between the traditional and modern, it scores highly on the social cohesion factors as well as on the economic factors.  I'd have to say I take the methodology with a pinch of salt..: 

 

[BJSLIV]

It must be carnage out there?

Road deaths: EU comparison, 20011
	Rate per 100,000 population
United Kingdom	6.1
Netherlands	6.2
Sweden	6.2
Denmark	8.1
Finland	8.4
Germany	8.5
Ireland	10.7
Italy	11.1
Austria	11.9
France	13.8
Spain	13.8
Belgium	14.5
Luxembourg	15.9
Greece	19.3
Portugal	21.0
1 Data for Portugal, Greece and Italy are for 2000.
Source: Department for Transport

On this measure France was twice as bad as the UK, but nowhere near the worst, anyone for Portugal?

The stats could usefully be weighted by average distances travelled per year. Nevertheless it gives some clue as to why the Government has clamped down on drivers over the last year.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Thanks BJSLIV. Twice the rate of road death is pretty scarey. But I'm surprised there's anyone left standing in Portugal!

[Tresco]

Panqur, would you say that Eire is still very much a non-secular State, I mean does the Catholic Church still play a large role in provision of housing, health and social care, either directly or through its charities?

You also pointed out that society there is in a state of flux, and I agree. My impression is there are a lot of issues bubbling under the surface which have yet to find full expression in societal conflict. I hope Eire deals with them better than many other European countries.

I love the whole country, we have many relatives, North and South, and have never had a bad time there, but like you, I feel I can have a better quality of life here.

Re Sweden, my brother has lived there for about 10 years, speaks the language fluently (on the telly as well), but there is a price to pay, both financial and cultural, to move to somewhere with a ranking that high, and he would say that the factors which have to a large extent underpinned society, and helped foster high levels of social cohesion there, have been fracturing for years. Very interesting place, Sweden.

[letrangere]

but was dragged down by a combination of high unemployment, racial tensions, widespread mistrust of government....and road deaths. Just how many people get killed on the roads in this country? It must be carnage out there!

In my experience, with the exception of road deaths, all the above are issues that French people discuss daily.  Throw in growing concerns about the health system, education and the increasing cost of living and you can see why many long term French residents on the Forum tend to warn those planning to make the move that France isn't quite the promised land they may think it is. 

French driving is appalling and it's a miracle more people don't die on the roads.  But there are worst places than even Portugal.  I think Iran has the world's most dangerous roads (though Saudi Arabia is a strong contender) and in many other parts of the Middle East you're 8 or 10 times more likely to be killed on the road than you are in Britain. 

Very interesting place, Sweden.

Yes, my husband lived there many years ago.  Standard of living, quality of life incomparable but...  

M

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Yet more pointless stats! The UK came 29th (lowest in pre-expansion EU). Did very well in economic measures (and, presumably from the above, the low level of road deaths), but came badly unstuck on security (high crime) and the breakdown of family and social structure. The US was 13th - did very, very well on the incomes side, but pretty poorly on everything else. Bottom of the list was Zimbabwae.

I suppose that the only conclusion that can really be drawn from any of this is that just about everywhere has plus and minus points and direct comparisons are probably rather pointless.