Joerg wrote:

Eeyore wrote:
Joerg wrote:
Eeyore wrote:
Jim Thompson wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6976084.stm

...Jim Thompson

However, Americans work more hours per year than workers in most other developed
economies. This is why, measured as value added per hour worked, Norway has the
highest labour productivity level (US$ 37.99), followed by the United States
(US$ 35.63) and France (US$ 35.08).

http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_...3976/index.htm


Might that by any chance change once the oil and natural gas reserves of
Norway are tapped out? Value addition is fairly easy as long as you can
pump the goods out of the North Sea.


It just goes to show how worthless such studies can be. You'll also find that some (notably small) countries have very
high per-capita GDPs based on their provision of high value services like banking. That doesn't seem to have much to do
with 'productivity' in the traditonal sense to me.

That the French are on par with USA intruiged me though. It kind of kills the popular US myth about 'socialism' being
anti-business.


Socialism is anti-business.

So how do you explain the equal productivity ? Of course Europe isn't full-blown Socialist of course (despite the ranting of
some loonies here). We've simply adopted the best bits for our social policies.


Also, they are definitely not on par WRT services such as health care. If you get really sick over there your
chances of dying are quite a bit higher than in the US. Most certainly so in the UK.

Overall, people actually tend to live longer lives in Europe.

So, what's your life expectancy in the USA if you get seriously sick and don't have a private medical insurance policy ?
That's something like 25% of the US population.

Also, I gather that your popular HMO policies restrict the treatment available to you.

Graham