Duncan, while I would agree that rampant unionism can destroy industries, and the American auto industry is certainly an example, I also know that they prevent employers from taking rampant advantage of the less powerful. They also protect workers in the sense of ensuring living wages, and against arbitrary disciplinary actions and firings.
Wasn't there a safety issue involved with the air traffic controllers, incidentally? Weren't they trying to get the public's attention? Is that such a bad thing?
As far as Germany and Japan, these are relatively homogenous cultures where it is slightly easier to teach. One of the problems with American education, at least in California, is that teachers are required to teach in so many languages, and to so many children who live in poverty (about 30% in California), that part of the continuity of instruction is lost, and the children may not be coming to school ready to learn. Also, part of the egalitarian American expectation that everyone can go to college has caused vocational training to be neglected. I would definitely support much increased vocational training in schools.
France has a lot of problems due to socialism, but on the other hand it has excellent family policies and programs. Perhaps there is some compromise in the middle which would work. America has the least adequate maternity leave of all the industrialized nations, for example, and yet strong bonding between a mother and her baby is the essence of a healthy society, in the big picture.
Do you really believe the economic vitality in England is all due to Thatcherism? I think it is much more complicated. I am a little polarized on the issue of Margaret Thatcher--I think she is evil incarnate, basically. She polarized the political situation in Northern Ireland, and caused many deaths. Did you see the movie, "In the Name of the Father" about the abuses of the British government? The post-Thatcher governments in Britain have also softened her policies somewhat, and Blair seems much more compassionate than she was.
Free to Choose is a video? I will try to find it. I am somehow not in the mood for heavy reading on economics at the moment, although I could kill time studying it waiting for the next protest rally to start!!! ;^) |
