[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

Because Belgium is so homogenous

And so huge.

[FILF]

Originally Posted by Grim Reader

50 years ago, all the competition was bombed to rubble.

America was left the one industrialized economy left of any size. Factories, roads, bridges, powerplants, rails, none of which was bombed. Loss of manpower had been less than the competition. Oil, timber, iron and coal in abundance. Ports on two oceans, and the entire world was rebuilding and desperatly needed Americas high-tech products.

It was a special circumstances time where it was really difficult to do badly, almost regradless of setup.

Look at the minor countries that didn't get involved in WW2, Sweden and Switzerland. They followed very different economic paths from the US, and each other. And they still followed the same prosperity path.

What war was being fought in the 50's? We didn't send troops to Vietnam until 1965ish. Ww2 was over and this is the time period for all countries to prosper yet the US let the world. What inventions came out of Sweden or Switzerland that changed the world?

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by nep321

Those countries still don't provide anywhere near the same level of business freedom and innovation that has come from the U.S. economy. Almost everything that has changed the world has been invented in the U.S. because of its superior capitalist system and the incentives that come along with it.

Why is Canada's Economy growing faster then ours , why do Canadians make more then the average American? Why is Quality of life better up there?

[Grim Reader]

Originally Posted by FILF

What war was being fought in the 50's? We didn't send troops to Vietnam until 1965ish. Ww2 was over and this is the time period for all countries to prosper yet the US let the world. What inventions came out of Sweden or Switzerland that changed the world?

Its called rebuilding.

Signing a peace accord did not magically restore everything destroyed during WW2. They were left with rubble, ruin and massive numbers of maimed people. How long did it take for the European former Great Powers to get back to their old prosperity? Many decades. During which they had to buy American products, from Americas untouched manufacturing base.

"All" countries did not prosper. Some had to rebuild from rubble. It was easy enought to prosper if you were untouched and producing everything the rebuilding economies needed. The UK finished paying off its war debt to American in 2006.

I am not quite sure what the inventions question has to do with anything. But for Sweden I'd off the top of my head list the pacemaker, medical ultrasound, dynamite, the zipper, GPS, flat-screens, and tetrapac. For the Swiss, STM microscopy, DNA, probably lots of stuff I'm missing?

[FILF]

Yay, some more good news...

Malloy on List of Endangered Governors - Government - North Branford, CT Patch

[nep321]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Why is Canada's Economy growing faster then ours , why do Canadians make more then the average American? Why is Quality of life better up there?

Why is 80% of the world's stock investments vested in U.S. stock?
Why do virtually all life changing inventions come from the U.S.?

No other country in the world compares to the greatness of America, despite its problems. In America, the goal is to maximize freedom, not fairness. If you're so concerned about fairness, move to Canada.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by nep321

Why is 80% of the world's stock investments vested in U.S. stock?
Why do virtually all life changing inventions come from the U.S.?

No other country in the world compares to the greatness of America, despite its problems. In America, the goal is to maximize freedom, not fairness. If you're so concerned about fairness, move to Canada.

And none of that belies the fact that this country has to improve. I prefer a society that is fair and just. That doesn't mean equal outcomes, but equal opportunity. Equal opportunity is certainly not a given. If you think it is, look just 10 miles to the East at kids growing up in Bridgeport and convince me they have the same opportunities as kids in Westport or Fairfield.

Our education system is lagging behind other developed countries and our overall standard of living is dropping.

If you're not concerned about fairness, be concerned about the shrinking middle class-- as we are heading to a company with only rich and poor which is not only unfair, but unhealthy.

In the real world there are complexities and you can love your country, want it to improve and not move to Canada.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

In the real world there are complexities and you can love your country, want it to improve and not move to Canada.

Improve: the devil is in the details.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

What was the topic of this thread again?

[nep321]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

And none of that belies the fact that this country has to improve. I prefer a society that is fair and just. That doesn't mean equal outcomes, but equal opportunity. Equal opportunity is certainly not a given. If you think it is, look just 10 miles to the East at kids growing up in Bridgeport and convince me they have the same opportunities as kids in Westport or Fairfield.

Our education system is lagging behind other developed countries and our overall standard of living is dropping.

If you're not concerned about fairness, be concerned about the shrinking middle class-- as we are heading to a company with only rich and poor which is not only unfair, but unhealthy.

In the real world there are complexities and you can love your country, want it to improve and not move to Canada.

I'd rather have more freedom than more fairness. It's a preference thing. What a boring world it would be if everyone was economically equal. And who is gonna mop the floors and collect the trash and bag our groceries?