Not all are created equal. I do get the impression that the Nordic states maintain responsible governance and generally have a vested interest in the success of their people. But most Western states are a malignant plague of cronyism and theft with no hope of recovery. We are genuinely in the phase “steal as much as you can before the show is over”. Taxes will continue to rise, austerity will increase, and the state will oversee the continued transfer of wealth from the public to its corrupt benefactors.