While hygge clearly plays a major part in Denmark's happiness, Wiking is keen to emphasise that it is the welfare model which fundamentally underpins the nation's wellbeing — they have high taxes, but receive social security, universal healthcare, and a universal pension in return.
Wiking says that there is "wide support for the welfare state."
"The support stems from an awareness of the fact that the welfare model turns our collective wealth into well-being," he says.
Critics often point out that anti-depressant consumption is very high in Denmark for a country that claims to be the happiest in the world. According to the OECD, Denmark ranks second in Europe for anti-depressant consumption per capita.
Wiking told Business Insider in an interview, however, that this supposed “paradox” is nothing of the sort.
“The real story is, these countries recognise mental illness and try to treat it in some way,” Wiking told Business Insider. “Being a society that acknowledges that people suffer from mental illnesses, and that we should try and do something about them? I think that's a good thing. A lot of people miss that - they just think it's a paradox."