They continue the policy largely as a symbolic gesture now, but it's an important one that serves as a reminder of how their country grew to be wealthy.

Finland is one of the wealthiest countries today because of policies like this. The government has helped lift Finland's poorest out of poverty over the past 80 years, and made it feel like a country where raising a baby is essentially the same regardless of your income.

Making sure every baby's parents have the resources it needs to grow up healthy and well-educated is how you build a society where everyone wants to contribute to it improving.