Article

2005-02-15 Europe

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Posted by Bulldog 2005-02-15 5:48:56 AM|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The MSM is blind to the obvious - demand falls as populations age. We have seen it in Japan and now Germany.

Posted by phil_b 2005-02-15 6:23:13 AM|| 2005-02-15 6:23:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 I don't think Japan has had 12% unemployment and the sort of welfare culture that makes unemployment an appealing lifestyle. Nor legistlation that demands companies excessively over-compensate workers they need to lay off. Germany's economic problems are mainly political in origin.

Posted by Bulldog 2005-02-15 6:50:53 AM|| 2005-02-15 6:50:53 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Perhaps it's a tactic to get the Muslims to emigrate.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-15 7:28:44 AM|| 2005-02-15 7:28:44 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 I believe that Japan, Inc. has generally preferred to keep their "unemployed" on corporate payrolls with nothing to do -- part of the social contract between the government, the companies, and their loyal employees, whose salaries have historically been rather low. Back in the '80s, when Japan was supposed to take over the world, this intertwined paternalism was touted as Japanese Capitalism's superiority over the American version. Perhaps one of our financial types, or an RB correspondent from the Far East, can tell us what the effective -- as opposed to official -- unemployment rate is in Japan.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-02-15 7:34:38 AM|| 2005-02-15 7:34:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Why do bad things happen to good people?

Posted by gromgorru 2005-02-15 9:03:41 AM|| 2005-02-15 9:03:41 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Phil_b makes a very worthwhile point - on a per capita GDP basis, Europe looks a lot less anemic when compared to the US. The US still looks healthier, but demographic differences do explain a lot of the difference.

Posted by Captain Pedantic 2005-02-15 9:50:04 AM|| 2005-02-15 9:50:04 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Europe is looking sicker in the GDP per capita. In the early 90s, they were sitting at 86% on average of the US. After 10 years they have slid to 84% and falling. The EU, like the Ottoman empire in the past is now the sick man of europe and dying. It will be interesting to see if it goes with a bang or a whimper.

Posted by mmurray821 2005-02-15 11:10:43 AM|| 2005-02-15 11:10:43 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Currently seems that USA per capita GDP is around 37800$ and Big european countries around 27000$ , as a Portuguese i think it was never so big in last 20 years

Posted by z man 2005-02-15 12:10:26 PM|| 2005-02-15 12:10:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I didn't realize you are Portuguese, z man. How wonderful!

Posted by trailing wife 2005-02-15 3:46:03 PM|| 2005-02-15 3:46:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 They need to raise taxes, pronto! That'll get the economy moving again!

Posted by Mark E. 2005-02-15 5:37:00 PM|| 2005-02-15 5:37:00 PM|| Front Page Top

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