Europe's Demographic Doom

The Economist ^ | 13 Nov 06 | Posted by: Economist.com

[.cnI redruM]

Europe can actually serve as a canary in the coal mine for the US on some problems. They had acid rain in Norway and Germany 10-15 years before the US had it in the Adirondaks. Seeing what happens to Germany's and England's national health and national pension systems will give us a good heads up on how bad it will get for Social Security.

[x_plus_one]

Europe is dying.

Liberals like Hillary (godbless her cylon soul) worship Europe and want us to be just like them.

[2banana]

As we've mentioned before, a society where everyone tries to free ride on everyone else is headed for disaster

Socialism and liberalism in a nutshell...

[AngryJawa]

godbless her cylon soul

She's too fugly to be a Cylon.

She's more like a Predator.

[Edgerunner]

That does just about say it...

[.cnI redruM]

The fight becomes one of who eats the negative consequences.

[rellimpank]

-bflr-

[untenured]

This is a terrific article. But I think it actually underestimates the problem.

It seems to me that Mr Cowen is saying, basically, that Europe's rapidly ageing societies will put an increasingly heavy burden on its labour force, as an ever-smaller number of workers has to support an ever-larger number of retirees

This effect will be exacerbated as less risk-averse Europeans -- who are more inclined to be more entrepreneurial -- make their way to the US and the UK so that they can keep more of what their adventurous experiments earn.

There is an argument to be made that Europe's risk averse culture free rides on innovations developed for America's less regulated markets—particularly in pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

I am very glad to see this show up in an outlet as important as the Economist. After reading a study in an economics journal, I blogged on this exact topic last month.

[CaptainK]

There is an argument to be made that Europe's risk averse culture free rides on innovations developed for America's less regulated markets—particularly in pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. If this is true, Europeans enamoured of their generous safety nets should not be urging the same on the US. The greatest good for the greatest number would be best served by keeping quiet and letting those foolish Americans take the bullet for the rest of the world.

We should have an airlift drop fliers all over Europe with this statement written on them.

And Canada.

[Cacique]

btt

[.cnI redruM]

That problem is always underestimated by fans of large government. Just ask GWB why he didn't see what was coming last week.

People who know the story will look for ways to get out from under governmental mandates.

[Cacique]

btt

[Cacique]

btt

[StoneGiant]

She's more like a Predator.

Predator, or Terminator?

[Kozak]

Bump

[A. Pole]

Governments have largely nationalised the traditional functions of the family, but in doing so they have not eliminated the need for future generations to care for the current ones in their dotage. Unfortunately, the assumption of family duties by the state allows people to free ride on the fertility of others—which they seem to be trying to do in massive numbers. As we've mentioned before, a society where everyone tries to free ride on everyone else is headed for disaster. Europe's safety nets, or at least the pension systems, may contain the seeds of their own destruction.

Childless people should pay special taxes to compensate those who raise children.

We could start with abolishing child penalty tax - ie with providing the same tax exemption for each child as for the grown ups. After all children are 100% human too!

The size of retirement/social security benefits should be related to the contribution in raising the next generation.

[Earthdweller]

"Europe is dying."

"Liberals.... worship Europe and want us to be just like them."

Don't forget the crusaders at the NYT.

Our Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and other religious counterparts should be wary of the continuous attacks that the NYT makes on Evangelicals...This is how Religion was all but eradicated from the places of faith in Europe.

(They came for my neighbor first and I did nothing)

For Evangelicals, Supporting Israel Is ‘God’s Foreign Policy’ NYT 11/14/06.

[PEACE ENFORCER]

The UNITED STATES (SARC) should call President Putin and tell him it's O.K. to invade Europe. If were going to have an experiment let's have a real one. In my opinion they're already invaded by the muzzies.

[Rummenigge]

"letting those foolish Americans take the bullet for the rest of the world."


It's not like you'd not desperatly beg to do just that.

[Rummenigge]

Well try to call him but he's very busy talking to the german prime minister.