A ranking of the “best countries” can be useful only if the criteria match the person reading it. A country that scores well for safety, power, heritage, or quality of life may still be a poor fit for an entrepreneur, investor, remote worker, or globally mobile person who cares about taxes, freedom, convenience, affordability, and business access.
The problem with any single “best country” list is that there is no universal best country. Different people need different things from different places. A person may want one country for residence, another for citizenship, another for banking, another for business, and another for lifestyle.
The 2019 Best Countries List
The ranking discussed lists the top 10 countries for 2019 as:
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Canada
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- Sweden
- Australia
- United States
- Norway
- France
The criteria used include:
- adventure;
- citizenship, in the civic sense rather than passport strength;
- cultural influence;
- entrepreneurship;
- heritage;
- movers;
- openness for business;
- power;
- quality of life.
Some of these criteria are useful, but others depend heavily on personal priorities. A country’s power, for example, may be an advantage in some rankings but a disadvantage for someone who wants less government control over their life.
Why the List Is Limited
The list is described as Western-centric. All 10 countries are wealthy, developed, and mostly high-tax. None are especially low-cost places to live. Several may also be restrictive for successful business owners or high-income earners.
For some people, these countries may feel safe and familiar. But for others, especially globally minded entrepreneurs, the tradeoffs may be unattractive.
Important factors missing or underweighted include:
- low taxes;
- affordability;
- consumer convenience;
- ease of doing business;
- personal freedom;
- lifestyle value for money;
- openness to foreign residents and investors;
- practical daily comfort;
- freedom from excessive restrictions.
Switzerland is ranked first, and it may be attractive for wealthy people. But it may also feel expensive or boring to others. A country can be high-ranking on paper while still not being a good place for a specific person to live.
There Is No Single Best Country
The central issue is the assumption that one country should provide everything.
A person may want:
- a strong passport from one country;
- a tax-friendly company structure in another;
- banking in another;
- residence in another;
- lifestyle in another;
- investment access somewhere else.
Trying to force one country to meet every need can reduce both freedom and prosperity.
The better approach is to separate functions. A person can live where quality of life is high, do business where the business environment is better, bank where the system is stronger, and hold citizenship where the passport or tax treatment makes sense.
Why “Best” Depends on the Person
The best country for an upper-middle-class employee who wants stability and occasional travel may not be the best country for a six- or seven-figure entrepreneur.
A high-income entrepreneur may care more about:
- tax efficiency;
- international banking;
- business flexibility;
- low regulation;
- investment access;
- ease of hiring;
- legal residence options;
- lifestyle value;
- personal freedom.
A person looking for adventure may prefer a completely different set of countries. Someone focused on safety may choose differently again.
That is why a list created from one worldview will not work for everyone.
Overlooked Countries
The ranking excludes countries that may offer strong lifestyle or business advantages for internationally minded people.
Singapore is mentioned as a surprising omission because it appears to fit many developed-country criteria: safety, order, business access, and global relevance.
Other countries such as Malaysia, Colombia, and Mexico are also mentioned as examples of places that may offer strong living opportunities, even if they are not typically ranked at the top of Western “best country” lists.
Mexico, for example, may be preferable to Switzerland for someone who values lifestyle, cost, energy, and daily enjoyment over traditional rankings.
A Changing Global Landscape
The world has changed significantly over the past few decades. Countries that many people would not have considered years ago have become more developed, more accessible, more livable, more business-friendly, lower-tax, and more open.
This makes older assumptions less useful. A person who relies only on traditional prestige countries may miss better opportunities elsewhere.
The strongest opportunities may now come from thinking globally rather than accepting the idea that the best options are only in North America, Western Europe, Japan, or Australia.
Main Takeaway
Country rankings can be useful as a starting point, but they should not decide where someone lives, banks, invests, does business, or seeks citizenship.
The better question is not “What is the best country in the world?” It is “Which country is best for this specific purpose?”
For globally minded entrepreneurs and investors, the answer is usually not one country. The stronger strategy is to use different countries for different needs and choose based on personal goals, not generic rankings.
