Why is America so prosperous when . . . ?

[monkspider]

The reason America is so wealthy is because of random chance.

[MrFun]

I think as long as the upper class Americans are prosperous at the expense of the middle and lower classes, they will continue to get all gushy about how prosperous the entire country is.

[Ted Striker]

Re: Why is America so prosperous when . . . ?

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
We do such half-assed jobs on everything. Everyplace I turn around I see slipshod work, uncaring employees, half assed jobs. We put massive effort into getting stuff done before its ready, rush, rush, rush, then drop the project and run on to something new.

How did we build an empire this way?

I disagree completely. Maybe it's where you work.

The old Puritan/German work ethic I've seen in every place I've worked is just phenominal.

Personally I think Americans work TOO hard.

My pops who retired 2 years ago, after 40 years on the job, says that people work WAY harder than they did when he started, and that much more is expected of the average employee.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

America? Prosperous?

No offense to my fellow Americans, but enjoy it while it lasts. The EU is going to become the next superpower. This is not to say that I like what's going to happen, but it WILL happen. Someday very soon, America will "fall" underneath the shadow of the EU. You can count on it.

[Ted Striker]

apple sucks

so does the book of matthew verses 1 though 6

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by LiberalAtheist
The US is so wealthy imo, because of our very capitalist system. Capitalism, with some minimal regulations, has time and time again shown itself to be a powerful engine for generatiing wealth.

True, but wealth creation in a capatalist nation decreases with time. GB, the first nation to industrialize under capitalism and dominate the world economy, was once the wealthiest nation on earth, but with success came maturity and wealth creation slowed. The same thing is happening in the US, and within the next century probably some other nation will create more wealth.

[Dis]

you need to get out to the real world.

The rest of the world is this way.

My buddy in the navy (who was filipino) told me of the condition of the ships in the Philippine navy. He was onboard the ships. The maintenance on those ships were terrible. There were wires hainging out everywhere he said.

And other countries were like this, although perhaps not as bad.

I have been to Italy, I was not impressed with their work ethic. I have been to Greece, same. The middle east was a joke. Spain- joke. France- joke.

Now I haven't been to Korea, Japan, or Korea- things may be different over there.

So Che, spend some time onboard a U.S. navy warship, and then get on warships from other nations.

Now onto housing. Houses today are more complex than houses in the past (with regards to wiring and utilities at least). And face it, most houses are built by illegal aliens. Not to say illegal aliens can't build houses like americans, they could if properly trained. But they are used to building houses in Mexico which don't meet the same standards as the U.S.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Edan
IIRC, we have shorter vacation time than most (all?) European countries, which probably contributes to increased productivity.

bingo!

Americans actually work more hours than most nations in the world. I think China, Japan, and Korea beat us though.

[Dis]

Originally posted by monkspider
The reason America is so wealthy is because of random chance.

You expect us to believe that?

[alva]

Originally posted by Dissident

Originally posted by Edan
IIRC, we have shorter vacation time than most (all?) European countries, which probably contributes to increased productivity.

bingo!

Americans actually work more hours than most nations in the world. I think China, Japan, and Korea beat us though.

I can do as much work in 6 hours when i'm fit then I can in 12 hours when tired.
Working insane hours does not allow for better productivity.
To put it in different words; better have two people working for you (normally) then have one doing the job of two people.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by monkspider
The reason America is so wealthy is because of random chance.

No, geography.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by alva

I can't do as much in 6 hours when i'm fit then I can in 12 hours when tired.
Working insane hours does not to better productivity.
To put it in different words; better have two people working for you (normally) then have one doing the job of two people.

If the government would get its nose out of employment it might actually be worthwhile to do this economically. Unfortunately for both employer and employee it costs a lot just to get one employee hired and trained, as the employer has to do more paperwork, pay for more benefits, do more training etc. If the government / American society would get employers out of the business of supplying benefits and the employer's share of payroll taxes a more rational approach to hiring might become financially viable, as the initial cost of each employee would drop.

[Combat Ingrid]

Originally posted by Dissident
I have been to Italy, I was not impressed with their work ethic. I have been to Greece, same. The middle east was a joke. Spain- joke. France- joke.

Nice selection of countries, all famous for their impressive work ethic

[alva]

@sikander

I can't do as much in 6 hours when i'm fit

Should have been...

I can do as much work in 6 hours

I edited it, but since you quoted me...

[East Street Trader]

It's a bit like Civ I think. If you start off on a large continent with a lot of resources and your only neighbour is easily shrugged aside you soon have a thriving civilization and you can go on expanding happily for quite a while.

If your micro-management is not the best maybe you expand a bit slower but the natural advantages still mean you thrive.

Being a young country also helps, I think, in that the initial immigrants were vigorous folk - people willing to up sticks and had off to a new place far from home where they hoped to make a better life. And the generations that followed were born into a world where everything had yet to be done, there was no expectation of simply settling down into some stagnant social set up such as you can sometimes find in countries with a longer history.

A large population is also a benefit. There are few barriers to trade within the US - it has been, I imagine, and continues to be the biggest free trade area around. And the domestic market is big enough to support industries which need a big market and to allow economies of scale to be easily exploited.

Shoddy workmanship strikes me as being reasonably to be expected in a busy and bustling environment. Perfectionism is more to be expected of people who have less faith that there is always going to be a good use for the time otherwise taken up by taking excessive pains. Spending a fixed period of time making two good things each providing 90% of what they are capable of providing rather than the same amount of time making one of them capable of operating at 100% efficiency may often make good sense.