"Somewhere there has to exists a middle ground where labor and corporations can co-exist for the benefit of both parties, as well as our overall economy."
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Pretty much defines the problem. What we find is that the meaning of "the economy" differs from one jurisdiction to another.
Not only that, but alone among all countries in the world, the US is constitutionally based on the rights of the individual. Everywhere else, the state comes first.
Nevertheless, in places like Denmark (for instance) they repose considerable trust in the state. Taxation is high, but education and health care are free. Generally speaking, values in social democracies differ from most (but not all) US values, but government runs well, and people are happy.
Are they capitalist? Democratic? Most would say so. Are they in good economic health? Pretty much.
Are they "efficient"? Well, it seems they're quite willing to exchange some "efficiency" for stability, and other values they prize highly. Unionization is prevalent. They certainly don't appear to be suffering from their supposed economic inferiority. They don't gravitate to extremes - they're economically cautious. True, they made some concessions to deregulation - but there's no Reagonomics, Thatcherism, Ayn Rand, or trickle-down theories driving their economy. Public servants are generally respected, as are their leaders (to the extent that politicians are ever respected.) Corruption is everywhere, but they're horrified by the extent of capture and corruption in US elites, and Wall Street's "Casino Capitalism", as they call it.
No nations exist without problems, but Euro social democracies are relatively healthy, happy, and prosperous. Of course, they lack the huge divide between rich and poor. Watching that divide expand and deepen in the US, one has to wonder just what values are the driving this madness, and to whom do the values belong?
The purpose of the comparison lies in the answer to this question: "To what end should people design their economy? The happiness and prosperity of the inhabitants, or some other metric?"
Because it's pretty clear that no matter what the intention was, the American people - and the elites entrusted by them - are watching happiness and prosperity slip away.
Jim |
