This is interesting.
What wealth gap? Danish welfare narrows disparity
Much of it is the expected stuff about high taxes and generous social services but there are some surprises.

With a solid safety net in place, the government has persuaded unions to accept a flexible labor market. Under a model known as “Flexicurity,” companies can quickly lay off staffers during downturns. Laid-off workers, in turn, receive training and guidance in pursuing new careers.

Such training is part of Denmark’s approach to education, which is free for everyone of all ages in this country of 5.6 million. Students of any age over 18 who live on their own can receive a stipend of 5,839 kroner ($1,028) a month. Those living with their parents can receive about half that.

So widespread is education that one byproduct has been something unfamiliar elsewhere: A shortage of unskilled labor. Denmark has no mandated minimum wage. But unions and employers’ organizations have agreed on a minimum of 111 kroner ($20.30) an hour.

Torben Andersen, an economics professor at Aarhus University, sees political unity as a factor in Denmark’s narrow wealth gap.

“There are not the same strong conflicts and very strong parties and views like you will see, for instance, in U.S. politics,” he said.