Yup

The end of Europe?

This article reminds me of a conversation that I was having with some friends of mine last Fall.  They are a married couple.  She is Italian and he is half-German/half-American.  Among other subjects, our boozy post-dinner conversation turned to differences between America and Europe.  We got on to the subject of the high level of benefits that European governments provide to their citizens.  In particular, we started talking about the level of paid maternity leave required by law and other related pregnancy benefits.

My Italian friend was arguing the standard line of well-educated, upper middle class liberals that these benefits were crucial.  When I asked what public good was being served by having such a high burden on employers, she responded that it promoted childbirth and population growth.  The problem, as I pointed out to her, was that European birth rates are amongst the lowest in the world and trail a slew of nations with no such benefits.   If that is the public policy goal of the benefits, it isn't working.

As this article points out, however, Europeans have gotten used to a level of government benefit and support that is probably politically impossible to reduce.  At some point, these countries are going to buckle under the weight of their social welfare systems and their weak economies.  

There are many wonderful things about Europe and certainly many things that Americans could learn from the Continent.  In fact, one thing that frustrates me no end is the tendency of Americans to reflexively take the position that everything is done the best here, better than anywhere else.  As just a small example, consider the difference in public transportation integration between European and American cities.  Coming home to JFK and grabbing a horrible, smelly cab is downright embarrassing after having been in, say, Zurich. 

But the truth is that the lovely mirage of long-vacations, short work weeks and lavish government benefits with no negative consequences is not sustainable much longer.  It's no coincidence that young, ambitious French people are abandoning Paris in droves for London, where they might be able to gain something from hard work and long hours.