I moved to Australia with my wife in late June 2023.
In a word, it has been awesome.
I’ve lived abroad before, and am also well aware of the propaganda model of media in the United States, but the disparity between what is promoted as the most free and best country on Earth and the reality of how it compares to a “similar” nation is astounding.
Here are some broad-stroke comparisons with obviously lack nuance and, while based on some actual research, are primarily based on subjective observations and, for lack of a better term, vibes.
The US has a budget deficit of 1.4 trillion dollars. Australia has a 19 billion dollar surplus. These figures are dramatic enough in difference that it doesn’t matter which country’s dollars these figures are described in.
The US has crumbling infrastructure, even within its cities with the greatest public transit in the country. Sydney (the only part of Australia I have any notable experience in) has beautiful infrastructure and it is easy to live without a car – public transit may not be as robust outside of the larger cities, but I’ve never experienced anything close to this in the US, even cities such as Minneapolis and Chicago.
Australia has a 99% literacy rate with (if my sources are accurate) 54% of the population (age 25-34) holding some form of tertiary degree, the 9th most educated in the world. The US has a 79% literacy rate. I couldn’t find a source comparing the exact same age group in which the US made it into the ranking, but according to this, 37.5% of people over 25 in the US have graduated from some form of higher education.
Australia has universal healthcare for citizens and permanent residents, while in the US, a citizen getting a nasty illness and needing to pay for treatment can spawn at least one hit television series.
Basically, Australia spends a lot on social programs and yet ends up with a surplus. Any discussion on social spending in the US is shot down as something which is unaffordable.
I can listen to a conservative on Australian TV without feeling like I’m consuming poison. It even seems like the various political parties and people who subscribe to them can discuss things together without demonizing one another.
Voting is compulsory in Australia, and several states in the US are actively trying to restrict who can vote. Australia also has a ranked choice system, making it difficult for any “extremist” belief to gain much political traction. This is great for preventing fascism from spreading, but, unfortunately, until socialism loses it’s “extremist” public perception, leaves socialists struggling as well. Just because Australia will implement some pro-socialist ideas does not mean it isn’t still committed to capitalism.
Australia is trying to make amends for what they did to the people who lived here before colonization. It is common for large institutions to point out that they are operating on stolen land. There is still much to be done, but in the US, some states are putting up roadblocks to even learn that there is anything in the past to atone for.
People in Sydney say there is a cost of living and housing crisis, yet, compared to small town Virginia, it has been relatively cheap to live and easy to find an apartment. The way the media here frames things, it sounds like food used to be free here.
My wife and I will be attending some of the best schools in the country (which actually makes them some of the best in the world). Even factoring in the cost of living in Sydney, we will require less student debt than to just get the same degrees in the US from remotely similarly well regarded institutions.
It really is a shame I didn’t take some nationalist up on the offer to help me pack! For those of you in the United States, I would strongly recommend that you do.