Europe

Last week, with 184 visa-free countries, Polish passport has moved up to #5 rank globally. Interestingly there are 3 other post-communist European eastern block countries at #5. Actually positions 3-8 are all occupied by European countries. #1 is Singapore an #2 Japan and Korea.

This is just one illustration of the transformation the former Soviet-block countries have gone through. But also Europe as such, despite much criticism about bureaucracy, poor state-driven economy, lack of entrepreneurial spirit and general over-regulation, to quote Fareed Zakaria, Europe has done something very extraordinary, even as it has declined in terms of raw power.

Europe has shown that past a certain level of economic wealth, what matters is not just sheer economic wealth. What matters is quality of life, what matters is certain level of equality, and things like that Europeans have.

For most of history, general quality of life was closely correlated with wealth. The richer you were, the better. And what's happened in the richest countries in the world, is that has now gotten decoupled. 

The original capitalistic foundation of unleashing ever-expanding desires and the elimination of a concept of “enough.” just has its limits. More is no longer better.

Most people would say that they would prefer to live as an average person in Europe than they would in America. It's so great to be rich in America. Probably better than anywhere else. But for the average person, Europe has become the model.