Will Americans ever embrace European style social democracy?

[GAMETHEORY]

Ok let me break it down.Social democracy in Western Europe owes its current form to way in which socialism interacted with industrialisation and mass culture. The way the products of this interaction created and bolstered social democracy, such as the way unions helped to secure a firm electoral base for left-wing parties, are on the decline. Social democracy, as a result of social change and other economic and cultural processes, is in a dilemma.

For instance, should they protect existing economic situations by staunch protectionism, or concentrate on boosting the importance of equality and fair trade within globalisation? Should a real partnership with environmentalism be forged, despite the potential dangers for economic growth and employment? And so on. A new type of radical politics is probably emerging as result, although we don't know exactly what form it will take.


What do you guys think? Should America embrace this or just shake hands with it?

 

[divine]

be more specfic...what do you consider Euro style social justice?

What do you guys think?

 

[bromack1]

What do you guys think?

I hope not... we are still trying to get over the mess that was created from "welfare." It was all based on "european" ideas..

 

[phillyphilly]

Here is an assist to the topic at hand. It is a long read, so review it and return with your comment:

http://www.fes.de/fulltext/bueros/london/00711.htm

 

[Imhotep]

I had to Google this "Social democracy aims to reform capitalism in order to remove its perceived injustices, or simple a moderate form of capitalism."

So to answer you question, do I think Americans can embrace a European styled social democracy? My answer would be no, first corporations have to much money vested in the US economy i.e. healthcare. What reason would they have to give that up.

Secondly I don't think must America understand fully the pros and cons of our current system. So to adopt a foreign approach would a be paradigm shift, which most people would not want to make if they could.

Are you writing some college paper????????

 

[pyramidbuilder]

Let's be real...
HOW can european style socialism benefit BLACKS?????
What does it offer? Look at France with its racial problems, the Russians are beating up Africans, the Spanish are trying to stop African immigration into its country and you're concerned about their form of socialism? I don't get it?? No matter what form of governmental poilcies are instituted, how does it effect BLACKS?
Your history should already give you an indication of what's in store for BLACKS

 

[GAMETHEORY]

I had to Google this "Social democracy aims to reform capitalism in order to remove its perceived injustices, or simple a moderate form of capitalism."

So to answer you question, do I think Americans can embrace a European styled social democracy? My answer would be no, first corporations have to much money vested in the US economy i.e. healthcare. What reason would they have to give that up.

Secondly I don't think must America understand fully the pros and cons of our current system. So to adopt a foreign approach would a be paradigm shift, which most people would not want to make if they could.

Are you writing some college paper????????

No I am nor writing any paper but i attended this an open forum yesterday which the subject matter was social reforms and it was interesting listening to opposing vies especially from the French who despice anything to with with Globalization while some Americans were sort of like confused on whats good for them. Nevertheless many Europeans, believe that it is a failure of the American system that 46 million Americans have no health insurance.

I am sure many Americans also believe that

 

[Autobot8655]

One phrase "Heath Care by citizenship" = HELL NO

It's all about $$$$$$$$$$$ in the USA.

 

[GAMETHEORY]

So its fair to say that they are too materialistic to embrace European social democracy

 

[Silencer215]

Let's be real...
HOW can european style socialism benefit BLACKS?????
What does it offer? Look at France with its racial problems, the Russians are beating up Africans, the Spanish are trying to stop African immigration into its country and you're concerned about their form of socialism? I don't get it?? No matter what form of governmental poilcies are instituted, how does it effect BLACKS?
Your history should already give you an indication of what's in store for BLACKS

I think the racial problems are attributed more to the people themselves rather than the social system.

 

[Autobot8655]

I think the racial problems are attributed more to the people themselves rather than the social system.

really?

Are we still talking about Europe...imperialistic Europe....Exploitation Europe...Racist Europe?

No...I dont have amnesia...

Things are the way that they are because of the past......

 

[GAMETHEORY]

interesting observations...

 

[Silencer215]

really?

Are we still talking about Europe...imperialistic Europe....Exploitation Europe...Racist Europe?

No...I dont have amnesia...

Things are the way that they are because of the past......

Yes. What I am saying is, if there were fair, impartial, non-racist people in the governments over there it would be ok. There is so much interpretation in some of these rules and laws of the government. I believe it all depends on the person interpreting it on what the outcome will be. You have a racist interpreting laws he will interpret the laws to be harsh on the groups that he hates etc. And of course I am talking about current laws. There has been many just blatant racist laws in Europe.

 

[sinestro101]

I think the racial problems are attributed more to the people themselves rather than the social system.

that's an interesting point of view.... but the fact of the matter is that any time you talk about adopting any form of government history has shown that regardless of what's in black and white (especially social policies) it's going to reflect the state OF the people. The biggest problem with discussions like these is that most of us can't see that. There is no separation from the people and the systems that a particular country adopts and the fact that government officials feel that way is a huge factor as to why race and class is always an issue.

 

[BrklynBorn]

Let's be real...
HOW can european style socialism benefit BLACKS?????
What does it offer? Look at France with its racial problems, the Russians are beating up Africans, the Spanish are trying to stop African immigration into its country and you're concerned about their form of socialism? I don't get it?? No matter what form of governmental poilcies are instituted, how does it effect BLACKS?
Your history should already give you an indication of what's in store for BLACKS

co-sign

 

[Makkonnen]

The idea that social democracy and evironmentalism have to harm economies is bullshit. That is the exact bullshit the precious few who own most things put out to fight any change in the status quo.

Actually an embracement in environmentalism could boost most economies. Think of all the new industries necessary to undo the massive destruction of the environment, overhaul agriculture and manufacturing, new manufacturing processes, facilities, products. Shit would make the new deal look like child's play and all that could be global. But that would also change the wealth and power distribution of the world so its just a dream.

 

[GAMETHEORY]

Great article to read.

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=12683

Medicine may be hard, but health insurance is simple. The rest of the world's industrialized nations have already figured it out, and done so without leaving 45 million of their countrymen uninsured and 16 million or so underinsured, and without letting costs spiral into the stratosphere and severely threaten their national economies.

Great read to compare US, Canadian, French, UK, US VHA systems.

 

[rude_dog]

No, the US will never adapt the European style social democracy. Here's why, Europe doesn't have the huge minority and immigrant population that America has. Europe thinks they're starting to have immigrant problems but right now in America at least 15% of the population was born in another country.

Paul Krugman of the New York Times wrote an editorial about this. Simply stated, American's view poverty as a racial issue and Europeans don't. We don't have universal healthcare in America because many people look at it like, I'm not paying for some black or immigrant to sit on his ass and get healthcare.

I'm not saying that Europeans aren't racist but they have a much smaller minority and black population so it doesn't influence them as much as it does Americans.

You have to understand that the fiscal Conservative movement in America was lead by race. They convinced poor and middle-class Americans that tax cuts for the wealthy were good for them. They used race, remember Reagan and his speeches about welfare queens driving Cadillacs.

Basic issue for a lot of American's "why should I pay taxes that fund social programs that benefit blacks".

 

[sitai]

Let's be real...
HOW can european style socialism benefit BLACKS?????
What does it offer? Look at France with its racial problems, the Russians are beating up Africans, the Spanish are trying to stop African immigration into its country and you're concerned about their form of socialism? I don't get it?? No matter what form of governmental poilcies are instituted, how does it effect BLACKS?
Your history should already give you an indication of what's in store for BLACKS

as a black i'll tell you we are better off in europe don't believe evrything you read...
france's racial problems are cultural (muslims) not racial
spain... kinda racist
russia... very racist
but that doesn't represent an entire continent!!!!