How can EU defend its social state?

[Lancer]

My cousin in Zurich used to ***** about only getting 5 weeks off a year. He got no sympathy from me.

[C0ckney]

and if 'old europe' wants to keep the old social system (as far as possible anyway), it has to find a way of making it work, and that's going to require some pretty radical thinking, which i'm not sure they are prepared to do.

[BeBMan]

Of course the question is valid if totally unregulated capitalism globally is a good idea. If not, then there's the question how to regulate without eliminating its advantages (unless you go communist and kill it totally). The Eu social model was working over decades, but now it is under heavy pressure in some countries.....no idea how this turns out, I wish I'd be an economy expert

[Az]

Yeah, show him no mercy! Real manly americans like taking it up the ass from corporations.

USA!

[Lancer]

"I wish I'd be an economy expert"

Damn good thing I'm here.

The west needs protectionist policys, NOW! The Chinese are getting away with too much, and getting rich on the backs of their children.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

no proctectionism - that only hurts americas poor and americas importers, putting our economy in the crapper. unless thats what you want.

[Lancer]

"that only hurts americas poor"

You mean the people who don't have a job because they have gone to China, India, which use child labor?

"and americas importers"

Yeah, the possible impact on Wal Mart just breaks my heart.

[CapTVK]

Originally posted by Lancer
"that only hurts americas poor"

You mean the people who don't have a job because they have gone to China, India, which use child labor?

"and americas importers"

Yeah, the possible impact on Wal Mart just breaks my heart.

Well, the irony is that the American poor/lower income classes DO get a benefit from Walmart and cheap Chinese imports. Because Walmart is so cheap it actually helps them buy stuff like food and clothes with their meagre income.

[Lancer]

Well that's right, but their income is so meagre because all that crap comes from China.

[mrmitchell]

Yeah, the possible impact on Wal Mart just breaks my heart.

Do you have any idea how much Wal Mart donates to local causes?

[Spiffor]

First, the Europeans need to stop trying to outcompete each other on which country has the smallest wages, smallest taxes etc. A common market needs harmonized taxation and harmonized social systems. If such harmonization doesn't happen, Europe will progressively destroy its social systems from within (btw, the sluggish French and German growth comes from the fact that these countries' capitalists heavily invest in Eastern Europe, much more than Asia)

Europe can keep its social systems, and even improve on them, if it keeps a technological edge and an imaginative entreprising population. It would allow Europe to position itself on markets that the Chinese and Indians can't master yet. Europe's main assets are an excellent education, an excellent infrastructure, a very stable political climate, a relative lack of corruption. All of these are factors for a healthy economy, that can feed social systems.

The cost of public services should also be adressed. In particular, the European institutions should make sure that a decent lifestyle doesn't cost too much. This involves a strong stance against the rise of the costs of living (the rents are exploding in many European big cities), by atificially raising supply when the prices rise too much. If the price of basic necessities doesn't rise too much, then the social services don't have to see their price explode for a similar quality of service.

The medication sosts should be seriously adressed. IMO, public medical research and more stringent public-domain laws should apply, so that medication becomes much less costly. Public-domain medication should be produced by public companies and sold without profit, to further reduce the costs.

The retirement age should be moderately pushed back, as life expectancy increases. Life expectancy is the big factor that considerably changed since the beginnings of the welfare State. And we can't waste all of our productivity gains to support the elderly.

We also need a good revolutionary threat. Surprisingly, the capitalists are much more eager to share their wealth when they risk losing everything

[Lawrence of Arabia]

Well that's right, but their income is so meagre because all that crap comes from China.

do you have any idea how many americans work in consumer goods manufacturing vs the total number of american poor? ill give you a hint, its minuscule.

[Urban Ranger]

Re: How can EU defend its social state?

Originally posted by paiktis22
Yes China the land of opportunity. Republica had a nice expose. Working hours: 7,30 morning to 11 night. One sunday off every 15 days. And age of workers 10-18 years old. And you can't hold strikes there. They put you in jail.

That may be true in some cases, but not true everywhere. I have friends working as engineers or managers in Mainland factories, so I know a bit how things are.

Of course, it also depends on the region/province, product(s), company, etc.

[pchang]

The EU is doomed. Prepare to submit to your new masters, the Chinese. We already have agents well ensconced in every nation.

[Lancer]

"We already have agents well ensconced in every nation."

Got any openings?