According to the World Happiness Report 2023, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the sixth consecutive year. Why; We all know that Finns don’t always radiate wild happiness when they meet. What is Finnish happiness and what can we all learn from it? What is the secret of Finnish happiness? And if the sauce is so delicious and everyone is so happy and healthy, then why did they vote a week ago for the nationalist political movement, the second strongest in the elections?

Before we dive into the Finnish soul and the ingredients of said happiness sauce, let’s take a look at how the World Happiness Fair works. It is a survey of 9 million people in more than 150 countries and has already been conducted a total of 11 times. The 2023 report, produced by a team of scholars and researchers, looks at five distinct areas: what is the generally accepted view of measuring national happiness, and what behavior does it require of individuals and organizations? What impact COVID-19 and other crises have on happiness, what is the role of government in happiness, what is the impact of altruistic behavior on individuals, recipients of altruistic actions, and society as a whole, and how social media can help us gauge prevailing levels of happiness and distress.

If this all sounds theoretical, then it probably is. What is not theoretical are the questions people are asked that affect a country’s happiness rankings. Respondents are asked to rate their lives and overall happiness levels. They are also asked about their perceptions of corruption, generosity, the freedom to make life choices, the social support they have, as well as how much they laughed and how happy and sad they were yesterday. This is then mixed with statistical indicators such as life expectancy and GDP per capita. And when it all counts, Finland comes out on top six times in a row.

A lot of (virtual) ink has been spent in recent years analyzing why and how Finns get to the top of this ranking, especially when they seem to have such a self-deprecating attitude towards themselves, their happiness and well-being.

To put the current situation in perspective, let’s look back a few decades. Finland was economically devastated after World War II. It was a poor relative of its Scandinavian neighbors in the 60s, 70s and 80s. When it began its economic development, it did not have a wealthy ruling class. The country was extremely egalitarian in its poverty. Even now, except for millennials, almost everyone knows from their grandparents or older relatives how hard life was in the post-war era and how the whole country came together to build it from the ruins. This historical event has become almost a national myth. Faced with an insurmountable obstacle, the Finns roll up their sleeves. Together. This sounds naive and obvious. And it’s not. In Finland, no one should be or act like a free rider. This, of course, has political implications both internally and externally. When the southern European economy collapsed around 2010, austerity measures were met with protests in many Mediterranean capitals. When the Finnish economy collapsed nearly 20 years ago in 1991, people almost called for more savings. The Finns emerged victorious from it, despite the numerous personal tragedies caused by the crisis. All of them had a common goal. This is the first ingredient in the Finnish secret sauce of happiness: collective action towards a common goal. Finns have an innate trust in each other. Over time, it passed into the DNA of the nation. Nobody is left behind. Everyone is trying for everyone.

The Finnish school system strengthens unity and promotes development and social progress. There are no private schools, and universities and higher education are free. Although schools are now starting to compete to attract students, the vast majority of children simply go to the elementary and high school in their neighborhood. The school balances out any small difference there may be between the financially wealthy and the less fortunate. In addition, the system allows social mobility from lower socioeconomic positions to higher ones, since the quality of education does not depend on the income of parents and the social status of children. Every child can be and become anyone, and can succeed in almost anything they want.

A small regional country without significant natural resources can have only one major competitive advantage: its people. The country invests in them, in their training and in their future. Finns know this and it makes them proud and happy. This is the second ingredient of the secret sauce.

Finland was still a Grand Duchy of Imperial Russia when women were given the right to vote and be elected in 1906. It was the second country in the world to grant these rights to women after New Zealand. Although there are apparently still thin and almost invisible glass ceilings hidden all around, Finland offers a truly equal opportunity for everyone. It is difficult to find a case where a woman in Finland would complain that she is not free to choose the life she wants. Even in the first half of the 20th century, women who came from very poor backgrounds were for the most part able to make their own choices, choose their own school and path in life. In Finland, everyone is responsible for their own life, for better or worse. Mostly welcome. It seems, after all, in the studies of happiness.

Finns have an innate trust in each other. Over time, it passed into the DNA of the nation. Nobody is left behind. Everyone is trying for everyone.

Finland is very lucky because the country’s administrative model is more than stable. This stability has allowed successive governments to continue to build on the successes of previous ones rather than reinventing everything from scratch. The Finnish legal system was introduced by the Swedes in the 18th century. The tsars gave Finland autonomy and relative freedom to maintain its administrative system, and since its founding in 1917, no fundamental changes have taken place in the legal and social order.

But the absence of corruption requires more than just stability. Finland cannot base its economic success on its rich natural resources, otherwise it must succeed by developing a well-functioning society and economy. The scarcity of natural resources also means that the political and administrative control of those resources by those in power does not bring them much potential benefit. The personal benefit for those who govern the country comes from the benefit of everyone, and not from the preservation of their positions. Simply put, you won’t gain anything from it.

Add to all this the Lutheran ethic of honesty and you begin to understand why, year after year, Finland ranks or nearly tops the list of the world’s least corrupt countries. This explains the high scores in relation to the Finns’ perception of the absence of corruption, which creates the fourth ingredient in the secret Finnish sauce of happiness.

Finally, there is at least one other ingredient in this secret sauce of happiness. We could use the expression “know thyself”. We could also talk about realism, a science-based worldview, grounding, humility, and more. It is an understanding of what a person belongs to locally, in his life, but also globally, as a nation.

In a sense, this understanding of what a person belongs to justifies the Finns. They know that although Finland is relatively insignificant on a global scale, it is valuable just the way it is, because, as Finns like to say, “this is the best place for Finns to live.”

Anything that threatens this status quo, their Scandinavian way of life – or is perceived as such a threat – will not be easily accepted. They meet doubt and opposition. This may also be one of the reasons why nationalism has reared its ugly head in recent years.

On a personal level, Finns know where they come from and where they are. They are rooted, traditional, and sometimes conservative despite appearing to be liberal. Their liberalism comes from a scientifically oriented – and not so much religious – solution and worldview. They will change when changes are needed. But they will not turn with every gust of autumn wind or spring storm.

So, here is the secret sauce of happiness from a Finnish point of view. A pragmatic outlook with a healthy dose of tacit confidence in personal superiority, as evidenced by almost all global indicators. A perspective that gives Finns just enough sarcasm to keep them from taking themselves too seriously. That’s why they also like to publicly ask questions and joke about the results of the World Happiness Report, smiling big to themselves.

Mr. Temu Lehtinen is Deputy Mayor of Vari-Vula-Vulyagmeni, Business Advisor.