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| Topic: Are we really Poor? | |
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EU, USA and the Economic Gap
by Robin Burk A new report by a Swedish thinktank shows that the economic gap between the US and the European Union countries (not counting the new entrants, who are poorer) is much larger than Europeans would like to admit: France, Italy, Great Britain and Germany have lower GDP per capita than all but four of the states in the United States. In fact, GDP per capita is lower in the vast majority of the EU-countries (EU 15) than in most of the individual American states. This puts Europeans at a level of prosperity on par with states such as Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia. Only the miniscule country of Luxembourg has higher per capita GDP than the average state in the USA. And that is because the GDP includes cash flows into Luxembourg's banks. Moreover, there are some arresting comments about the poor in the US: Poverty is a highly relative concept .... 40% of all Swedish households would rank among the low-income households in the USA and an even greater number in the poorer European countries. ..... The media image of the American poor is that they have great difficulties to contend with, that they are dossers and junkies and in various ways marginalized. There are of course such groups in the USA and they are relatively large, but -and this is an important "but" - such groups exist in European countries too. There is another image of poverty in the USA, namely that the great majority of those considered to be poor have a relatively good material standard of living. ..... What does it mean to be poor in the USA? Major living standard surveys carried out in the USA at regular intervals show the poor to have a surprisingly high standard of living. A large proportion (45.9%) own their own homes and have one or more cars. Domestic appliances of different kinds are also relatively common, as are one or more TV sets with video or DVD. Material prosperity, in other words, is relatively high and not associated with the material standard of living which many people in Europe probably associate with poverty .... poor households in the USA have slightly more dwelling space than the average European. The average American household has a home that is 80 per cent larger than its average European counterpart. It is sometimes argued by Europeans that they simply choose more leisure than Americans. The authors of this study suggest otherwise: Americans work more at work, but there are reasons to believe Europeans make up for their lighter work loads on the job by having to do more at home or by moonlighting. The result, along with differing tax policies: the gap between the US economy and that of the EU-15 is large and is growing. The whole report is worth reading. Some individual statistics about per capita GDP, i.e. the country's economic productivity per person: If Belgium were a US state, it would be the 6th poorest in the union, ahead only of Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Montana, West Virginia and Mississipi. France would be the 5th poorest state, as would the UK, Italy, and Germany. In other words, the GDP per person of Alabama outranks each of those 4 EU economies. The implications of this - and the acceleration of this gap - has major consequences for common defense commitments, incentives to dismantle trade barriers and a whole host of other international issues. http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/005067.php |
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EU, USA and the Economic Gap by Robin Burk A new report by a Swedish thinktank shows that the economic gap between the US and the European Union countries (not counting the new entrants, who are poorer) is much larger than Europeans would like to admit: France, Italy, Great Britain and Germany have lower GDP per capita than all but four of the states in the United States. In fact, GDP per capita is lower in the vast majority of the EU-countries (EU 15) than in most of the individual American states. This puts Europeans at a level of prosperity on par with states such as Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia. Only the miniscule country of Luxembourg has higher per capita GDP than the average state in the USA. And that is because the GDP includes cash flows into Luxembourg's banks. Moreover, there are some arresting comments about the poor in the US: Poverty is a highly relative concept .... 40% of all Swedish households would rank among the low-income households in the USA and an even greater number in the poorer European countries. ..... The media image of the American poor is that they have great difficulties to contend with, that they are dossers and junkies and in various ways marginalized. There are of course such groups in the USA and they are relatively large, but -and this is an important "but" - such groups exist in European countries too. There is another image of poverty in the USA, namely that the great majority of those considered to be poor have a relatively good material standard of living. ..... What does it mean to be poor in the USA? Major living standard surveys carried out in the USA at regular intervals show the poor to have a surprisingly high standard of living. A large proportion (45.9%) own their own homes and have one or more cars. Domestic appliances of different kinds are also relatively common, as are one or more TV sets with video or DVD. Material prosperity, in other words, is relatively high and not associated with the material standard of living which many people in Europe probably associate with poverty .... poor households in the USA have slightly more dwelling space than the average European. The average American household has a home that is 80 per cent larger than its average European counterpart. It is sometimes argued by Europeans that they simply choose more leisure than Americans. The authors of this study suggest otherwise: Americans work more at work, but there are reasons to believe Europeans make up for their lighter work loads on the job by having to do more at home or by moonlighting. The result, along with differing tax policies: the gap between the US economy and that of the EU-15 is large and is growing. The whole report is worth reading. Some individual statistics about per capita GDP, i.e. the country's economic productivity per person: If Belgium were a US state, it would be the 6th poorest in the union, ahead only of Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Montana, West Virginia and Mississipi. France would be the 5th poorest state, as would the UK, Italy, and Germany. In other words, the GDP per person of Alabama outranks each of those 4 EU economies. The implications of this - and the acceleration of this gap - has major consequences for common defense commitments, incentives to dismantle trade barriers and a whole host of other international issues. http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/005067.php  Most Americans are lower class but dont realize it
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funny isn't it?
lower class American would be considered lap of luxury to more than half of the world |
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If Belgium were a US state, it would be the 6th poorest in the union, ahead only of Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Montana, West Virginia and Mississipi. France would be the 5th poorest state, as would the UK, Italy, and Germany. In other words, the GDP per person of Alabama outranks each of those 4 EU economies. The output (GDP) isn't the only thing you need to look at to compare countries or states. The income of the average American is far less than the income of someone in the UK, however, prices in the UK are much higher. Similarly, most of Europe gets taxed a huge amount on income, however the NHS means we get no hospital bills. It really isn't that simple to compare economies. Even the poorest people in the US or Europe are nothing compared to the poverty of most of Africa, although that's a different issue. |
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It all sounds fine and well but I am living below the poverty line. I am managing to pay my bills but it is HARD because I do it all alone with no help from no one and I do work many other will not touch.
Trying to pointy out the disparity in America's GDP vs Other nations is a joke. Industry in this country is being killed by Unions driving the labor rate way too high for our larger industries to compete. I see these arguments used all the time by the NWO set to justify America paying a larger share to the NWO but it boils down to accountability and personal responsibility. The largest problem of most impoverished nations is excessive populations. They just keep breeding and starving themselves out. This whole "feed the starving children of the world" thing is utter crap! We have starving children in our own nation! It is not and I repeat NOT America's responsibility to feed the world unless they pay like us! People should not have children if they cannot support them. I am serious about sending birth control to Africa instead of aid. What do you think will happen when the earth's population hits eight billion? We are reaching a point Biologists coined a Biological Meltdown. We will be the tool of our own extinction unless we get a handle on our population growth. It is reaching a point where it will get way out of control and if you think Armageddon is bad imagine what it will be like when we can't find anything to eat because we ate it all and there is nothing left? America is greater than may other nations in the world because we WORKED hard for it. We set the tone for where the world was going in the late 1800s and are the example many choose to follow. America is also not responsible for the greed and corruption that are prevalent in the Third World and yet we seem to eat the blame for all the problems of this world. It is not our fault the rest of the world is so screwed up. Maybe the "little" people of the second and third world need to wake up and do something for themselves for a change. Hell, for the disparity of the GDP between the EU and the USA why is the Euro hold twice the value of the dollar? They sure seem to be doing pretty good for a nation with less GDP than us. It is economic smoke and mirrors. |
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When figuring GDP the cost of living is taken into account.
The Euro appears to be worth more but its spending power in Europe is far lower. Its obvious blue blade did not read the article very thouroughly. The whole report is worth reading. Some individual statistics about per capita GDP, i.e. the country's economic productivity per person: A few highlights! 40% of all Swedish households would rank among the low-income households in the USA and an even greater number in the poorer European countries. ... Americans work more at work, but there are reasons to believe Europeans make up for their lighter work loads on the job by having to do more at home or by moonlighting. The result, along with differing tax policies: the gap between the US economy and that of the EU-15 is large and is growing. |
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When figuring GDP the cost of living is taken into account. The Euro appears to be worth more but its spending power in Europe is far lower. Its obvious blue blade did not read the article very thouroughly. The whole report is worth reading. Some individual statistics about per capita GDP, i.e. the country's economic productivity per person: A few highlights! 40% of all Swedish households would rank among the low-income households in the USA and an even greater number in the poorer European countries. ... Americans work more at work, but there are reasons to believe Europeans make up for their lighter work loads on the job by having to do more at home or by moonlighting. The result, along with differing tax policies: the gap between the US economy and that of the EU-15 is large and is growing. So where does China's economic manipulation play in this argument. Have you forgotten about that? China was a greater part of the world economic meltdown with their forcing a devaluation of their currency as well as flooding markets with their super cheap products make by unfair government subsidies and slave labor. Awwwwwwww. poor Europeans.... The same folks who dragged us into TWO world wars. Germany is doing pretty damn good for themselves. Why not mention them? Is it because they are financially responsible? France is eating sh** because of all their socialized spending. America's largest problems are Privatization, Labor Unions, Governmental irresponsibility, a lack of enforcement on our laws especially when it comes to the bankers, and Deregulation. The problem with the rest of the world is they have their heads stuffed self righteously up their back sides! Time for them to wake up and address their responsibilities! |
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