I don’t think it’s religion, because while Austria is more religious than the UK it is less so than the US. Yet going to either of those countries after visiting Austria is like a visit to the zoo. All that sensuality, aggression, body-pride and body-shame…

I don’ t think it’s because it’s so small (as in “small is beautiful”) because Ireland is also small, yet Ireland is more like the UK and the US.

Is it because Austrians are not allowed to beat their children, so you don’t get that culture of violence? Or because the schools are better? Or because of the social safety net? Or are there ethnic reasons? Or because “high culture” is more prevalent than “mass culture” in Austria.? Or because the default value is order (rather than freedom in the Anglo-Saxon countries)?

A lot of this could also be applied to Scandanavia as well.