Most advanced country

[Noodle Lizard]

The reason I'd put the Netherlands above some of the Scandinavian countries is that they seem generally less homogenous and more open to new ideas. Denmark and Norway etc. are great places to live if you're a native, but are notoriously difficult places to move to. A friend of mine (who now lives in the Netherlands, ironically) said he never felt at home in Denmark because you're sort of ostracized from the "tradition" of it all and never really feel accepted as "one of them".

I'd love to hear differently, but the impression I get is that these are quite conservative societies at heart, with a big emphasis on national identity and being "part of the society", whereas individualism or standing out are sort of grumbled at. Of course that isn't necessarily a bad thing, and the results are good, but it's worth remembering when comparing them to more cosmopolitan places. I think the Netherlands has a good mix of both.

EDIT: Rubbish new page, sorry.

[Noodle Lizard]

Also, to stick up for the US just a little bit, the states system does allow them to experiment somewhat with new systems of government and law, and they remain overall the least restrictive nation in terms of free expression and enterprise (hence why we have so many amazing, yet evil, companies here). Many states have been able to shoot far ahead of the UK, for instance, in terms of progressive policies, and the fact that you can theoretically choose between 50 different governments within one nation/citizenship is ultimately quite a good thing.

It's a massive double-edged sword, of course, and it clearly doesn't work perfectly,  but I think an advanced nation would have room for a lot of different types of people, and the US states system does allow for that.

[shoulders]

Many states have been able to shoot far ahead of the UK, for instance, in terms of progressive policies

Some of those policies don't ultimately improve the situation, for instance Mexico is no better off because California relaxed some drug laws.