Which Country Is the Model?
Liberals often cite the Scandinavian countries as model Social Democratic nations, because they have prosperous capitalist economies and use taxes and other policies to reduce inequality and make sure everyone gets a share of the prosperity.
I cite the Netherlands as the model. It not only has a prosperous capitalist economy and Social Democratic policies that spread the prosperity widely. It also has the shortest work hours of any nation in the world.
People in the Netherlands have the right to choose part-time work. About half of all workers are part time. The average Dutch employee works only 80% as many hours as the average American employee. Though they produce about as much per hour of work as Americans, they choose to use their prosperity to have more free time as well as to produce more.
Clearly, they are better off than Americans, even though they consume less. People choose to work part-time only if they think they would be happier working part-time than full-time and having more free time rather than more income.
I cite the Netherlands as the model. It not only has a prosperous capitalist economy and Social Democratic policies that spread the prosperity widely. It also has the shortest work hours of any nation in the world.
People in the Netherlands have the right to choose part-time work. About half of all workers are part time. The average Dutch employee works only 80% as many hours as the average American employee. Though they produce about as much per hour of work as Americans, they choose to use their prosperity to have more free time as well as to produce more.
Clearly, they are better off than Americans, even though they consume less. People choose to work part-time only if they think they would be happier working part-time than full-time and having more free time rather than more income.
posted by C. Siegel at 10:06 AM
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