Hi, I’m looking for a country whose people or government mainly support my values. I’m looking for a country that:
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supports wildlife protection
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supports eco-friendly things and solar/wind energy
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supports freedom of expression and does NOT criminalize queer people, be it trans, gay, bi, pan, intersex, asexual, etc.
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peaceful, low crime
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community-oriented
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equal and just
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very friendly towards animals, filled with animal sanctuaries and no-kill shelters
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free education and/or healthcare (preferably education and healthcare are free/government-funded)
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high taxes are therefore fine to me
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compassion-oriented
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affordable food with low unhoused rates and high employment rates
You aren’t looking for a country, you’re looking a dream.
none
None.
The closest you’ll get is probably Denmark.
But you better be white and learn the language, otherwise it’s very hard to be seen to “integrate”. It’s not a friendly country to immigration from non-“western” countries. However if you are white and you make an effort on the language, they love you.
Denmark also relies on imperialism to fund its safety nets, so “fair and equal” doesn’t apply either IMO.
Depends on whether colonialism and exploiting brown people outside of the country is a dealbreaker for you.
supports freedom?? definitely turkiye
I haven’t done enough research to know how well it does in every category, but I was recently thinking of moving to Vietnam for similar reasons. I’ve learned a decent amount about it and while it’s definitely still a developing country, it seems like it’s oriented in the direction I want. It’s been making huge strides towards poverty reduction and while it’s not entirely there, it’s getting close. Similar to modern China, while it has markets, the government does a lot to make sure important things are adequately addressed including stuff like infrastructure and apparently they’re getting close to implementing universal healthcare. They have an unaligned foreign policy. From what I’ve seen, the government seems reasonably responsive to the people. And lastly it sounds like they’re reasonably friendly towards foreigners. I’m kind of shocked they’re not more pissed at Americans, but apparently there are US expats living there who have said they have good experiences with the people.
The problem with me moving anywhere right now though is I’m super depressed, so doing all the things I’d need to do to move, including learning a foreign language, would be really difficult for me and I’m not sure I’m ready to live without my current support network. It’s kind of stressful though because it really does feel like it might be urgent to leave now. Even before Trump I hated it here, but now it looks like the fascism train is rapidly accelerating and I’m an autistic Jewish communist. I might not be immediately in the crosshairs thanks to me being white, but I doubt I’m that far down the list.
Visa’s will be an issue in Vietnam. Uness you plan to live there full time (somehow??), learning Vietnamese probably isn’t worth it as it’s the only place that speaks it (unlike say Spanish or French)
Next door in Camboida, you can stay as long as you want. T visa and just extend. Philippines is mostly easier, English is widely used but its sea locked, and it’s one of the most disater prone places on the planet and while the islands are amazing, travel is a bitch. Thailand is difficult with visas as well. Malaysia I know nothig of. Laos is an interestig place but super poor.
None of these places give you the same rights as citizens and they’re all either very difficult, or very expensive to gain permenant resident status or citizenship.
Vietnam is worth it though as it’s a socialist country and rapidly developing.
Bhutan?
Botswana fits your list
New Zealand.
supports wildlife protection.
We work hard to maintain and expand protections for our native animals. There are many wildlife sanctuaries to visit. We have successfully rid several islands of predators. Our coins and paper money features images of wild life, not bankers and war generals.
supports eco-friendly things and solar/wind energy.
90% of our electricity is generated from renewable sources. This includes hydropower, geothermal, and solar energy.
supports freedom of expression and does NOT criminalize queer people, be it trans, gay, bi, pan, intersex, asexual, etc.
We don’t call them “husbands” and “wives” in NZ. People don’t usually use those words. We call our spouses partners. While there is a small % of intolerant ppl everywhere, NZ tends to be very inclusive. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2013, allowing LGBTQ+ couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples. our government emphasizes mental health support tailored for LGBTQ+ individuals, addressing specific needs and challenges faced by the community. We have policies that facilitate access to gender-affirming healthcare and recognize gender identity changes legally, affirming rights for transgender individuals.
peaceful, low crime.
NZ ranks third in the Global Peace Index, following Iceland and Ireland. This positioning reflects an improvement due to enhanced safety and security, as well as a reduction in domestic protests and terrorism impacts. Minimal domestic and international conflict, low crime rates (comparatively), and strict gun laws contribute to this high ranking. We do have crime but it’s mostly ‘opportunistic’ type crimes like pinching packages and shoplifting. When a violent crime does happen, native born kiwis get in a huff and think NZ is the worst place on the planet. But without living in other countries, everything at home sometimes seems like the worst.
Community-oriented.
Bike paths in most major cities, community activities. There is plenty to do. Public excercise gyms in parks, allocated community spaces. Incredible libraries, thousands of km of hiking trails, hundreds of recreation areas, etc.
equal and just.
I have found that most kiwis care more about a person’s personality, manners, and contribution more than skin colour.
very friendly towards animals, filled with animal sanctuaries and no-kill shelters.
Yes we do sanctuaries. we are home to about 30 animal sanctuaries. They play a vital role in conservation efforts and the protection of native species, particularly those that are endangered. They specialize in various animals, including birds, reptiles, and other wildlife, often focusing on restoring their natural habitats and providing safe environments. While many New Zealand shelters aim to be no-kill, practices can differ based on specific circumstances, resources, and policies.
free education and/or healthcare (preferably education and healthcare are free/government-funded)
Young children here get 20 hours of “daycare” subsidised by the government. Children have free dental care until they leave high school. We have a single payer healthcare and also have private insurance if you opt for it. As of 2025, New Zealand is ranked 6th in the world for healthcare quality according to the 2023 Health Care Index.
compassion-oriented.
Whether your seeing your doctor, interviewing for a job, or anything else, everyone is allowed to bring a family member. Compassion is baked in to many aspects of life. Our government prioritizes support for vulnerable groups, including low-income families, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. Programs aim to provide financial assistance, housing support, and mental health services. Our government shows a commitment to addressing historical injustices faced by Māori populations, promoting initiatives to support cultural revitalization and economic development.
affordable food with low unhoused rates and high employment rates.
Well you’re asking a lot with that one. The world economy raises and lowers all boats to a similar tide. We have the same issues that most other 1st world nations are having.
I’m a Dutch person who grew up in NZ. NZ is a nice place, even though the cost of living is a bit high and we have our own problems, but in comparison with other overseas struggles we have it pretty good here!
Awkward question… does NZ have “australian” wildlife?
No. Not at all. No snakes either.
I have found that most kiwis care more about a person’s personality, manners, and contribution more than skin colour.
Not gonna lie, I judge the shit out of people who block both sides of the supermarket aisle.
affordable food
I think we fail this criterion at every level. 😒
Great. Where do I sign up?
I’m looking for a country whose people or government mainly support my values.
For what purpose? Are you in a position to live anywhere in the world? The best most people can do is work toward improving the country they live in. Not many can simply go window shopping.
Well, if you have no kids, dont have strong roots and maybe even have saved a bit of money, I don’t see why you shouldn’t look into migrating somewhere else.
Many people also need to flee their countries, e.g. trans and foreign born people in the USA which are being hunted and incarcerated in awful prisons right now, or Palestinians which are being bombed and raided by Israel right now. Or Israelis and US-Americans who don’t like their genocidal government.
That said, the grass is always greener on the other side of the barbed wire fence. I often think about leaving Germany but the alternatives might not be ideal for me.
None tick all of those boxes that I’m aware of. Socialist countries like China, Cuba, and Vietnam are all imperfect even if they have a great track record of improvement, and the capitalist countries with the highest quality of life (ie, the Nordics) are all declining and depend on imperialism.
Just from this list, Cuba is probably closest though, right?
Closer, yes, though sanctions have been particularly brutal in the context of recent weather disasters there. China lacks in areas like LGBTQIA+ rights, but is generally doing much better otherwise, same as Vietnam.
Someone should do a poll in core countries regarding imperialism. It’s hard to know how much of it is obliviousness vs suppression vs ambivalence vs full-throated support.
what would you like to learn from that poll?
How many people actually care about other people.
If you like horses Turkmenistan 🐎
Iceland?
Though prices are high in Iceland. Their wages are also high, which offsets that, but if you’re coming in with foreign currency/income, you’ll feel the prices more…
Love the Nordics if Iceland counts!
Iceland is imperialist, though, and is decaying.
Which imperialist things do they do nowadays? Being founded on imperialism isn’t the same as doing the imperialism, mind.
Iceland participates in the ongoing system by which the global north plunders the global south. It’s of course a NATO country, and participates in unequal exchange. Iceland isn’t especially imperialist, just like, say, Texas isn’t especially imperialist, just that these are both participants in a broader system of imperialism.
Ah, I see. I wouldn’t count supporting/enabling/allowing war and famine instead of actively pursuing war and famine in other parts of the world and doing Euro-centric policy with exploiting the other countries plain imperialism per se. It may be cultural imperialism which I’d separate from the “traditional” imperialism by hard power.
I see where you’re coming from and I think how Europe treats other countries often lacks any kind of empathy, consideration or equality, but again, wouldn’t call it imperialism to not mud the waters.
See my other response regarding Germany’s very real participation in full, ecomomic plunder-style imperialism:
It isn’t just that Germany has a strengthened millitary industrial complex, it’s that Germany is an active and willing participant in imperialism today. The west in general super-exploits the global south for super-profits, relying on financial domination of the global south and processes of unequal exchange. Germany in particular is especially predatory towards lesser developed European countries like Greece, and due to having a huge amount of influence over European finance and banking is one of the major beneficiaries of European imperialism towards African and other global south countries.
I’m calling it imperialism precisely to not muddy the waters. Economic imperialism is how the west functions, past and present, and this is due to the dominance of finance capital and unequal exchange. The idea that imperialism was a thing of the past, and that Germany today runs largely on its own production and not the economic plunder it continues to extract (along with the west collectively) is fundamentally incorrect.
Understood, but I disagree and maintain that this form of globalised exploitation and unequal exchange is not the same as imperialism. It can be argued that it’s economic imperialism but I think that’s also not quite the right term if the other criteria of economic imperialism aren’t met.
What “other criteria” are you referring to, here? Why isn’t this imperialism proper?
Does it say they don’t want an imperialist nation?
“Equal and Just” to me means they aren’t participating in imperialism or unequal exchange.
I’d say scandinavia.
You might check out Costa Rica.
This is the answer. Not sure how they are with LGBT rights, but they are big into preservation of their wildlife. Like, you can get fined for running over a turtle big.
Please elaborate!
I don’t know much about the country, but based on my limited knowledge, I think many of these values are supported by that country.
The OP needs to check it out on his own to learn more.
costa rica legalized same-sex marriage in 2020, have free public education, a medicare-style public health, is full of wildlife protection, has freedom of expression and no military, and is relatively peaceful (more peaceful than most latin american countries, for sure). don’t know about employment and cost of living, though.
another option is uruguay which benefits from most of these characteristics. wildlife is not lush though, as most of the country is empty, flat steppes mostly used for grazing cattle and sheep.
