Well . The Netherlands has a mandatory health care system that ' s at least superficially similar to Obamacare , which is generally rated higher than the US . Germany has a really good public education system that beats the pants off our ' student loan indentured servitude ' system . Norway has a very successful prison system , where ' success ' means that criminals are apparently reformed they have a low recidivism rate . Iceland generates a huge percentage of its energy with renewables . How have you guys respectively managed these things ? We ' re far away the richest country in the world , so it ' s certainly not about the money . Is it just a matter of politics ? For example I can ' t imagine a US politician getting elected on a platform of We ' re going to reform the prison system to ensure inmates are really rehabilitated at the end of their sentence . The opposition would spin that as He ' s soft on crime and wants to reward criminals ! ! Do you want your tax dollars rewarding criminals ? ? People will start robbing your houses just so they can go to jail and steal your tax money ! !