gladius said:
As I recall somebody already answered my question previously, so why you are bringing it back up I don't know.
Well then let me explain, the answers given seemed incomplete an/or inaccurate to me, hence I considered it opportune to bring forward my own thoughts on the subject. I guess a discussion is supposed to work like that.
gladius said:
As far as a Socialist Europe goes you must living so deep in it you can't tell the difference. If you comparing the government subsidies the US gives its own to help the economy or people to being socialist, then like I said I doubt you can tell the difference anymore.
Yeah probably I've been living in this commie hellhole for so long I cant even imagine any more what a shiny free market economy like yours looks like. I guess you all dance under the rainbow there and there are no trailer parks and no one's working at walmarts for 7.50$.... [/flame]
But seriously, I didnt say the US are socialist. I would say most countries of the EU arent either. Thats an improper term as theres more than just capitalism, socialism and a mixture thereof. But many EU countries like France or Germany practise more interventionism, keynesianism, etc. Thats two different paradigms on how to conduct governance. In the US theres and emphasis on "Everybody has to have the same chances, everything has to be fair" while here its more "Equity is good, but it should be sacrificed if it serves common welfare". Hence in general you have higher taxation, more subsidies, governmental health insurance, etc. in Europe.
On the other hand,look at the US military: 2 million state employees and a HUGE industry of suppliers which depend on it. 400 billion of public spending each year. I'm not saying thats mainly a employment-creation measure, but I do think that economic interests play a role there. I guess the US could also maintain there global dominance with a 200-billion military. There's noone to rival that position. Apart from China all other major military investors are allies of the US (Japan, GB, Germany, France,..). (Even if they are "so-called allies" today, theres ongoing cooperation in many fields that doesnt stop because certain politicians dont like each other.)
But thats a bit OT, what I was trying to say is that the EU
as an instituion is not very socialist
afaik. Its often the EU that keeps member states from making laws that discriminate foreign competitors, etc.
Regards, loki