The United Nations’ World Happiness Report has consistently ranked Nordic countries among the happiest worldwide. In 2026, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden all placed among the top six. Taiwan has also performed strongly, generally ranking between 24th and 31st worldwide from 2018 to 2026 while consistently remaining among East Asia’s leaders. Ya-Hui Yang, an advisory committee member at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), said that although both the Nordic countries and Taiwan are regarded as happy societies, the sources of their well-being differ substantially. These differences show how distinct institutional frameworks and social conditions have shaped their respective models of happiness.
Social Security and Institutional Trust Underpin the Nordic Countries’ High Happiness Rankings
Yang said happiness in the Nordic countries is largely built on a collective sense of security. In return for a relatively high tax burden, citizens receive comprehensive public benefits covering education, healthcare, childcare, and retirement. These programs reduce the uncertainty people face when confronting major risks throughout their lives. Norway, for example, has effectively harnessed its North Sea oil and natural gas resources by channeling the proceeds into a sovereign wealth fund. Long-term investment has allowed the country to accumulate national wealth and support its social welfare system. This institutional model of transforming resource revenue into public investment and shared prosperity is a defining feature of the Nordic approach.
Among the Nordic countries, Sweden offers a particularly relevant comparison with Taiwan because both economies rely heavily on foreign trade, although their industrial strengths differ. Sweden’s economy is driven by global brands, heavy industry, start-ups, and green energy, while Taiwan’s is anchored in semiconductors, information and communications technology, and electronic component supply chains. Economic and trade ties between the two countries have continued to deepen in recent years. This also shows how Taiwan can draw on Nordic experience in industrial transformation, innovation, and sustainable development through international cooperation.
Finland, Iceland, and Denmark have consistently ranked among the world’s happiest countries. Their performance reflects not only extensive social welfare systems but also institutional trust, social equity, and cultural values. Finland’s first-place ranking for several consecutive years demonstrates that happiness depends on more than income. It also reflects public trust in government, social institutions, and one another, as well as people’s overall perception of their quality of life.
Taiwan’s Happiness Is Rooted in Everyday Convenience, Offering a Distinct Model from the Nordic Institutional Approach
Yang said Taiwan’s model of happiness is more closely tied to everyday life. Convenient transportation, readily accessible public and commercial services, National Health Insurance, ubiquitous convenience stores, and a rich culinary culture all contribute to quality of life. Frequent interpersonal interaction and strong social networks further shape Taiwan’s distinctive form of “everyday happiness.” These attributes may not be fully captured by the Nordic model of comprehensive social welfare, but they remain important sources of resilience in Taiwanese society.
The Nordic experience provides valuable lessons, but it should not be adopted without consideration. The region’s extensive welfare systems rely on higher taxes and strong institutional trust. Attempting to implement these systems elsewhere without a similar fiscal foundation and social agreement could lead to new challenges rather than solutions.
Institutional Models Cannot Be Replicated Directly, and Taiwan Must Chart Its Own Path to Happiness
Taiwan should instead continue building on its existing strengths. In addition to maintaining its healthcare, education, and social security systems, it should improve the effectiveness of public governance, promote greater social equity, and ease the pressures that young people and families face from financial and social risks. Taiwan should also leverage its industrial competitiveness to create more opportunities for broadly shared growth. Yang said there is no single formula for happiness. The most valuable lesson from the Nordic countries is how they use institutions to foster security and trust. Taiwan should draw on its own economic, social, and cultural conditions to develop a formula for happiness that best suits its people.
Source: Ya-Hui Yang (September 10, 2026). Two Movements of Happiness: A Governance Duet between the Nordic Countries and Taiwan. Commercial Times. https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20260910000273-260210