Europe is now a corporate also-ran. Can it recover its footing?

Post by crossroadsguy » Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 3:00 AM UTC

BeFlatXIII wrote: post #69

238475235243 wrote: post #43

I've lived in a few different parts of the EU, and couldn't imagine a worse idea than starting a company there (which I did, once). Starting is hard enough without the general negative attitudes, the government insanities, the insane taxes, the low work ethic, the 8 weeks of vacation every month (I exaggerate, slightly). And I was in one of the two best EU countries, God only knows how bad it is in Spain or Italy or…

> general negative attitudes, poor work ethic Citations needed as to how they’re significantly worse in Europe than the US. Perhaps they’re simply smart enough not to work hard for someone else’s benefit. > freedom of movement The only negative (at least in a strictly US context between the states) is that it forces issues that the Constitution says are the domain of the states into problems that only the Federal gov…

Post by robocat » Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 3:02 AM UTC

passerby1 wrote: post #51

chrisseaton wrote: post #8

Why are European companies so unambitious ? My whole civilian career I've had to work for North American companies because the European alternatives aren't even attempting to be competitive.

I'm not an economist, but in my opinion a progressive taxation (for employees wages) can be a main limiting factor to this. Ambitions needs motivated employees. They need better wages to work harder. But it's really a steep curve after mid-wage, because taxes are _very_ progressive. So ambitions are just not worth trying.

Post by CryptoPunk » Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 3:03 AM UTC

tick_tock_tick wrote: post #36

Renaud wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just better worker protection. It's the whole system that has more social safeties for everyone. You might be better off with better conditions working for a top American company but you are not most people, you are part of a privileged few who had the capacity (opportunity, financial, intellectual) to be part of a a select who can enjoy this position. You're also dependent on your company to provide these b…

If you're doing well in America pretty much every system is better for you than the European counterpart. On the other hand if you're doing poorly well you can fall very far in the US system. Of the American's on Hacker News almost all of them are in the "doing well" category so the perspective is all off.

Post by refurb » Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 3:08 AM UTC

crossroadsguy wrote: post #78

238475235243 wrote: post #43

I've lived in a few different parts of the EU, and couldn't imagine a worse idea than starting a company there (which I did, once). Starting is hard enough without the general negative attitudes, the government insanities, the insane taxes, the low work ethic, the 8 weeks of vacation every month (I exaggerate, slightly). And I was in one of the two best EU countries, God only knows how bad it is in Spain or Italy or…

> the low work ethic > glory .. glory.. So you were missing "glory to overwork people to death" and things like "glory to force them to work on weekends, late nights and make them feel guilty and insecure about their jobs"? And things like "glory to people going bankrupt in hospitals", right?

Post by nemo44x » Sat, Jun 12, 2021, 3:09 AM UTC

tick_tock_tick wrote: post #36

Renaud wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just better worker protection. It's the whole system that has more social safeties for everyone. You might be better off with better conditions working for a top American company but you are not most people, you are part of a privileged few who had the capacity (opportunity, financial, intellectual) to be part of a a select who can enjoy this position. You're also dependent on your company to provide these b…

If you're doing well in America pretty much every system is better for you than the European counterpart. On the other hand if you're doing poorly well you can fall very far in the US system. Of the American's on Hacker News almost all of them are in the "doing well" category so the perspective is all off.