Estonia socioeconomically is a typical Eastern European country

[Citizen]

Given the fact that several of Estonian members of this forum and people I met in RL have tried to distance themselfs from Eastern Europe and embrace Estonia as a Nordic country that has shaken off last remnants of Soviet past and is not so much different from Finland or Norway I have decided to make this discussion. I personally believe that being Nordic or Scandinavian has very little to do with linguistics but its a certain way of life and the "Nordic Model" social liberty, human rights, equality and a welfare state is completely opposite to what Estonia is embracing currently. I don't see that Finnic language alone can make a country Nordic, given the fact that Finland was referred to as Baltic state during interwar period.
http://www.vm.ee/?q=en/node/3489
I would like to hear both those who think that Estonia is Nordic and those who agree that Estonia is Eastern Europe and if they agree that current socioeconomic policy is right for the country or not.

1) Estonian socialdemocrat president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who has called Estonia a Nordic country, has openly said that Nordic socialist economic model cannot be realized in Estonia and he didn't stop there and made prognosis that it will also collapse in Scandinavia. Something that hasn't even been discussed there for as far as I know and that has no meaningful grounds as Nordic countries have small debts, high growth, low unemployment and budget with surplus. Do you agree, if so why? With all respect to Mr Ilves, how could he ever be described as social democrat?
2)Flat tax was introduced almost universally in post communist Europe while almost no developed nation has adopted it, its advocates have cited it as the reason for rapid growth while opponents how shown that countries that never introduced flat tax had equal growth rates without the social costs. Given the fact that all Nordic countries embrace a very progressive tax system can Estonia ever be considered Nordic if it embraces a typical neoliberal Easter European taxation?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...income_tax.png
3)Equality (measured by GINI) and social welfare are cornerstones of "Nordic Model". Nordic countries believe in welfare state where the richer are taxed more to provide for not so well off, there is a strong belief that this reduces poverty, crime and increases growth as people who gain education and healthcare for free contribute to the state and in so to the richer classes instead of being a burden. From what I know the social policy in Estonia is the same as in Latvia or other Eastern European states, social welfare is considered a factor that negatively impacts productivity and promotes laziness and living on others backs. Can Estonia be Nordic if it doesnt believe in welfare state?
GINI of Europe
http://dev.null.org/scrapbook/2009/0420_eu_gini.jpg
% of GDP taxed (% of total income of country that gets collected as taxes)
Estonia 32.3
Latvia 30.4
Lithuania 20.9
Moldova 33.8
Ukraine 28.1

Finland 43.6
Norway 43.6
Iceland 40
Denmark 49.0
Sweden 45.8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...centage_of_GDP
4)Median income, Nordic countries have some of the highest salaries in world, average income of a family with 2 working parents is from 6000 - 8000 euros a month while in Estonia its just 1500 (salary of a simplest job in Norway, cleaning lady or fastfood worker). Can a country with typical Eastern European salaries be considered Nordic?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_average_wage
5)Attitude towards LGBT people, Nordic countries universally recognize LGBT rights, in Nordic states its legal for them to marry and their discrimination is prohibited by law while in Estonia there is almost no protection of LGBT rights and any for of marridge or civil union is not recognized by Estonian law. Can a country that clearly falls into Eastern Europe with its attitude towards LGBT people be considered Nordic?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wo...ality_laws.svg

Would love to see some meaningful discussion of this subject from Estonian members and others.

[Szegedist]

...

[Graham]

2)Flat tax was introduced almost universally in post communist Europe while almost no developed nation has adopted it, its advocates have cited it as the reason for rapid growth while opponents how shown that countries that never introduced flat tax had equal growth rates without the social costs. Given the fact that all Nordic countries embrace a very progressive tax system can Estonia ever be considered Nordic if it embraces a typical neoliberal Easter European taxation?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...income_tax.png

UK had it for a couple of years, under Thatcher( we got it a year early as London's test dummy). It caused pandemonium in England, so the UK then scrapped it. Unlucky, we are still bitter to this day at the Conservatives for it, 20 years on.

[alb0zfinest]

And here comes the comments agreeing with this for the sake of pissing of karl, and not actually having read the "argument."

[Äike]

Being Nordic is about culture, not economy. For some reason Latvians have an inferiority complex towards us while we are completely neutral towards you. You're just our southern neighbor who we have little ties with.

http://palun.blogspot.com/2006/09/on...c-country.html

[Graham]

How does Estonias right-to-roam compare to the Nordics?
Just wandering. Always thought of the Northern Nations to be quite Liberal/Free on the issue.

[Corvus]

From my perspective Estonia is more Northern than Eastern.
This is reflected by the mentality, linguistic roots and last but not least phenotype of the inhabitants

[robar]

the "Nordic Model" social liberty, human rights, equality and a welfare state is completely

Please there is no Human Rights , and equality in Northern Europe stop spreading propaganda.

[Hweinlant]

Estonia also has very large Slavic population (~30% of total population), which is not the case in Nordics. Having Slavic population is very eastern European thing.

[Smeagol]

Estonia is Nordic. Proof: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oeselians Vikings.