Abstract
This paper researches Finland in an objective, realistic creation of a utopia. I examine different aspects of the country such as the educational system, healthcare, prison and police systems, and overall happiness. I use these aspects to draw an ideal society using Finland as an example. This paper does not hypothesize the advent of a utopian society, but rather, implements tested and proven policies that have demonstrated the stability of happiness over an extended period of time. Finland has distinguished itself as one of the countries leading in these developmental aspects as humanity reaches for a perfect world, and this paper aims to explore some of the reasons why.

What Makes a Realistic Utopia?
A utopia is simply a perfect, ideal world; however, this is impossible. Life is never without its imperfections and trying to create a world where everyone is satisfied is impossible to do. The main reason is that individual needs often contradict each other. Therefore to create a real-world utopia, it is a combination of a peaceful government, equality for all citizens, and access to education and healthcare. This is all done by government policy and the creation of equitable opportunities.
Educational System
Education is the start to building a real-world utopia. It is ultimately the starting point of a successful society. Early developmental education has a huge impact on children and vastly affects their understanding of the world. Not only does it serve as a way for children to learn social customs and socialize, it teaches them how to cooperate and sympathize with others. However, the benefits of education do not cease there, it also opens up a pathway for development and the accumulation of wealth and happiness.
Finland has nearly perfected an educational system that is both holistic and effective. Some background, Finland gained independence in 1917 and has since become one of the most successful and advanced economies in Europe. It started out as a small nation with a corresponding economy but has managed to turn it around with its focus on education and innovation. A whopping 65% of the population that leaves school go on to achieve some type of higher education (Ruzzi, 2005, p. 2). Their school system produces a future generation that helps the country excel while at the same time taking into account student mental health and well-being. Technological advancement is a political priority for Finland and to achieve this they have invested deeply into their educational systems. Students spend less time at school, have no standardized tests, and less strenuous school days are only some of the benefits of Finnish education. They prioritize a healthy environment and implement an ideology that uses education at an early age to eliminate social justice and provide psychological and individual counseling; this is all to build a “system [that] isn’t there to ram and cram information to their students, but to create an environment of holistic learning” (Colagrossi, 2018).
Teacher Education
Finland has created a culture where teachers are highly respected and is one of the most prestigious fields of study. Teachers in all levels of education are required to obtain, at minimum, a master's degree, including elementary school teachers. It is much harder to become a teacher since “all have master’s degrees that take from five to seven years depending on the subject area specialty” (Ruzzi, 2005, p. 8). The heightened requirements serve to provide students with quality education by ensuring that all teachers are qualified. Getting into teaching programs is often harder than medicine and law programs which have pushed the prestige of the profession. Teachers are usually the top 10 students on a given campus and that is all to ensure the development of character since the Finnish government measures the education progress through the “character of the population not national income, technological advances, and military strength” (Federick, 2020, p. 21).
Healthcare
Free healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Finland does not have free healthcare like many believe but the costs are severely reduced compared to places like the United States. However, many of the basic needs are covered such as “ maternity and child health clinics, immunizations included in the national vaccination programme, testing and treatment for certain communicable diseases (e.g. sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), tuberculosis, hepatitis, and some others), medical aids…” (Keskimäki et al, 2019, pp. 54-55). This is largely decided by municipal health services; and while this system isn’t perfect, it is a stepping stone to a utopian universal healthcare system. Finnish healthcare aims to reduce economic inequality in terms of access to quality and affordable care.
Prevention and a Healthier Population
Finland has found great success in a preventative approach to healthcare. Education and altering the social perception of certain activities have contributed to an overall decrease in leading causes of death. An example of this is cardiovascular disease which has impaired the life expectancy of Finnish men but health and nutritional education in the last few decades have led to a decline in the mortality of the disease (Finnish Medical Association, 2007). The system has had a focus on promoting healthy habits which have had massive improvements in the population leading to an overall increase in life expectancy and the eradication of certain communicable diseases. Not only their healthcare system but the entire country has managed to maintain healthy eating and cut down on smoking through government policies and encouragement. This intervention has produced a country with an increasing life expectancy, low infant mortality, as well as a crucial cut in blood pressure and cholesterol.
Prison System
Another key part of the creation of a realistic utopia is a prison system that minimizes harsh punishments and reduces recidivism. While it is unrealistic to eliminate crime as a whole, altering the prison systems to be more humane will lead to a downward trend in criminal activity. Finland has nearly perfected this model in their fundamental belief that punishments should be limited to fines, gentle social rehabilitation, and, at worst, short prison sentences (Ekunwe and Jones, 2012, p. 173). Finns also believe in open prisons which in their very design try to remove inhumane institutionalization and conditions. Open prisons simulate society and allow prisoners to move around freely and commute. They also have plenty of windows and views that allows for the track of time and season, to not disconnected prisoners in a dull, gray block of concrete. Finland adapts this concept due to a core belief that prisoners should be treated equally and provided with the same services and rights as any other citizen. This is vital in the creation of a realistic utopian society since it does disconnect a group of people for mistakes that they have made but gives them opportunities to be a member of society and actively contribute. These prisoners are allowed to own cars and leave for school or work and, despite how absurd this sounds, Finland has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world (Ekunwe and Jones, 2012, p. 173). The humanity of these institutions that aim to limit freedom yet not make everyday life a burden has resulted in a low amount of prisoners, crime, and repeat offenders. Table 1 shows the downward trend that the Finnish prisoner population has taken since the adoption of new policies (Ekunwe and Jones, 2012, p. 176).
Police
Unsurprisingly, Finland also has an incredible police force; “Finnish police officers are supposedly considered trustworthy by about 95% of the population” (Turpin, 2020). The trust in police results from the nearly nonexistent cases regarding excessive use of force. Finland averages 1.8 deaths per 10 million and that is mainly attributed to the extensive training police officers are required to complete. Table 2 shows further data regarding police killings in other countries that have not built a humane police force. The data was collected from Police Killings by Country 2022.
Basic training (Diploma in Police Studies) is a 2.5-3 year program and focuses on leadership, field training, and research activities (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). Many officers also continue their education since “police-related Master’s degree studies are offered by the University of Tampere and the University of Turku. Apart from obtaining a Master’s degree, police officers can also continue their studies right up to doctoral level” (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). These programs individually take roughly 2-3 years to complete and lead to a more comprehensive and educated police force. It is simple to say that a better trained police officer is more trusted and thus makes the citizens feel safer.
Compared to other countries, the United States spends between 21-25 weeks training its police officers. The training mainly focuses on the defense of self and detaining suspects; this style fundamentally lacks adequate knowledge in diffusing situations and using non-violent methods. A large portion of police training, as new and seasoned officers, are primarily focused on firearms, which in turn lead to police relying on their weapons more often. Training police in humanitarian methods that aim to limit risk for both the officers and the detainee is a more plausible solution in the aim for a realistic utopian society.
Happiness
Finland is one of the happiest countries in the world. It is a very difficult metric to measure yet happiness can be defined as overall satisfaction with life; in other words, simply being content. One of the aspects that affect happiness is freedom, “not only perceived freedom, but independent of that also actual freedom and in particular psychological freedom” (Brulé and Veenhoven, 2014). Finns are happy because they feel more free and are more free than other countries and that affects people’s perception of their own lives. Happiness is the most important factor in a realistic utopian society. Despite a perfect world being impossible, being content with life will have a positive effect in the creation of a realistic utopia.
Conclusion
A realistic utopia is an imperfect world that values humane policies that do not aim to fix imperfections but minimizes them. It allows for a prolonged happiness and satisfaction through reform of societal systems that are harmful to the overall structure. To maintain happiness, a priority in education, preventative and free healthcare, and quality prison and police system are needed. Finland is an example of a country that has taken the necessary steps to start building this realistic utopian society. While it is still lacking in many aspects, it has shown that progress can be made and it is possible to greatly reduce many troubling aspects of society by reform.

References
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