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March 31, 2009
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I'm beginning to think this recession, depression, or whatever it is, is going to make Eurosocialists out of all of us, even me who was bred on free market capitalism (and often victimized by it too).
There's a great discussion forum on the New York Times online blog that highlights the differences in approaches across the pond. The Germans seem to really have it made, social safety net-wise, while the French just seem to enjoy the joie of being lazy.
Problem is, we could adopt the Eurosocialist approach of paying people not to work, or to work less, and gut our (and the world's only) global police force, and we could all be realxing at home right now with the government's covering our lost wages.
But then how could we as bosses and employers get rid of the riff-raff and n'er-do-wells when recessions provide us the golden opportunity? Such a quandary: Would I rather say permanent goodbye to a jerk or two (or more) or spend some more time with my wife and dogs?
There is a genius to the harsh, cruel world of American capitalism, I must confess.
(If you visit the NYT page, tell me--doesn't that guy at the top look like your typical ugly American, though the photo is credited to Agence France Presse?)
