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The US in the 50s had a much higher standard of living than us , we were poor after the war..and always looked up the US and how they lived..but now I think the poorer here get more help than over in America...
Depends on someones definition of Standard of living. I have a new Car, bigger house, nice Telly here in the States. am i any happier in my day today living as when i lived in a two up two down driving a second hand car? Not really. Do i get envious of my friends and family telling me what third Holiday they are going on this year? Yep! Am i sick to death of meeting people over here when they give me a ten minute pre planned speech of their work credentials and what material things they own and how much they make? Bloody right!
My cousin went to the States in the 50s with his new wife.. When he came back on holiday a few years later he bragged constantyl about his house his cars, his garden and his job.... and I felt he looked down on us and what we didnt have... maybe it was just him but I felt he took on a new personna after he moved... My mum said that all his eggs had two yolks after he moved there hahaha...
The standard of living in the US is far, far higher, but the UK is a more cohesive country and a European country in which most people are the same.
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Originally Posted by easthome
I don't think this is particularly true either!
It really depends on what is important to you. Both countries have unacceptably high levels of inequality (something I think is the new norm, and something that no public policy is going to "fix"), but in my experience the material standard of living is still much higher in the US. In my experience, the average person can still afford a home, car etc and more space than I was ever used to in the UK (and I had a decent household income level in the UK).
But, it really depends on the individual. I am lucky in that my company is great about time off so I can drive out to some really cool places nearby. Most people here (the southwestern part of the US) enjoy their weekends due to the weather, and most vacation in California or Hawaii.
The standard of living in the US is far higher in any respect, but the UK knowns how to take advantage of their scarce resources much better.
There's much social cohesiviness, far more homogeneous population, not so much waste. With the resources employed by ten American families, 50 British families could live comfortably.
The American Welfare, being as massive as British, is not as well targeted and structured due to waste, and pilfering to professional "disadvantaged groups". Health welfare per inhabitants is larger that in the UK, but the money is pilfered and "get losts" in insurance and medical rackets.
The standard of living of your typical middle class American family is two or three times superior in any sense.
I, am not being obtuse but how do you reckon that middle class (in the UK working class) American families standard of living is two or three more times superior? I have lived in both countries as well.
The standard of living in the US is far, far higher ...
Smug - and exaggerated - it depends on who you're talking about - take a look around America's inner cities you'll find a ready redress to the six chickens in every garage.
I'm talking about aggregates. Poor are a scant minority in the US, and even a poor AM family that lives in a section 8 houring lives in much better conditions than poor british living on council homes.
Not a problem of poverty, wrong, rather moral squalor. I believe that even Alabama is far richer.
I repeat, British manage very well their scarce resources and population is relatively very homogeneous.
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