But surely Europe can't go on like this. You hear it all the time: They can no longer afford their welfare state.
That depends on what's meant by "welfare state." If high-quality education is included, we'd do well to emulate them. Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 rank near the bottom among rich countries in literacy and numeracy. That spells trouble for the U.S. economy in the future.
They're also doing more workforce training, and doing it better, than we are. The result is more skilled workers.
Universal health care is another part of their "welfare state" that saves them money because healthier workers are more productive.
So let's put ideology aside. The practical choice isn't between capitalism and "welfare-state socialism." It's between a system that's working for a few at the top, or one that's working for just about everyone. Which would you prefer?
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