Americans Should Not Envy Europeans
Terry L. Mitchell
October 15, 2008
I recently read an article in which the author expressed the wish that Americans were more like Europeans. She stated that Europeans have it much better than we because of their attitudes and their willingness to demand certain things from their governments. I couldnīt disagree more. Americans should not be envying Europeans. If anything, they should be envying us. There are two reasons why I say this: socialism and elitism. Europe, unfortunately, appears to be a bastion of both.
I do not want socialism for America. With all of its flaws, capitalism is still much more preferable. Even extreme capitalism is better than moderate socialism. Sure, Europeans get a lot of the things they demand from their governments. These things include socialized medicine, cheap/free higher education, a higher minimum wage, shorter work weeks, more vacation days, and other government-handed-out goodies. Those things, along with redistribution-of-wealth schemes and greater government regulation of business, amount to socialism, no matter how you slice it.
And socialism always comes with a heavy price tag. Not only does it result in lower productivity and less competitiveness with the rest of world, it brings with it an exorbitant tax burden. Europeans might be okay with sky-high taxes, but I donīt believe Americans are ready for that. And to paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "A government big enough to give you everything you want is also strong enough to take away everything you have."
I also wouldnīt want the U.S. to adopt European-style elitism, a kind of prevailing secular humanistic attitude, although we unfortunately seem to be headed in that direction. This is not an attempt to bash all Europeans. Iīm sure many of them do not possess this mind-set, but the popular perception (whether justified or not) is that the majority of them do. And it is an undisputed fact that most Europeans donīt attend church regularly anymore. Consequently, a large number of churches in Europe have shut down over the last decade.
Most Europeans have apparently become so elitist in their thinking that they no longer see the need for religion or a faith in God. Are they arrogant and haughty enough to believe that they alone are somehow the source of their own sustenance? No doubt they feel the way some Americans do those whom Iīve heard make remarks like, "Why should I thank God for my food when I bought it with money that I worked for and earned?" What a foolish attitude! They would not be able to take another breath if God did not allow it through His infinite grace and mercy. It would indeed be a tragedy if there came a day when the majority of Americans bought into the elitism of Europe.
I do not want socialism for America. With all of its flaws, capitalism is still much more preferable. Even extreme capitalism is better than moderate socialism. Sure, Europeans get a lot of the things they demand from their governments. These things include socialized medicine, cheap/free higher education, a higher minimum wage, shorter work weeks, more vacation days, and other government-handed-out goodies. Those things, along with redistribution-of-wealth schemes and greater government regulation of business, amount to socialism, no matter how you slice it.
And socialism always comes with a heavy price tag. Not only does it result in lower productivity and less competitiveness with the rest of world, it brings with it an exorbitant tax burden. Europeans might be okay with sky-high taxes, but I donīt believe Americans are ready for that. And to paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "A government big enough to give you everything you want is also strong enough to take away everything you have."
I also wouldnīt want the U.S. to adopt European-style elitism, a kind of prevailing secular humanistic attitude, although we unfortunately seem to be headed in that direction. This is not an attempt to bash all Europeans. Iīm sure many of them do not possess this mind-set, but the popular perception (whether justified or not) is that the majority of them do. And it is an undisputed fact that most Europeans donīt attend church regularly anymore. Consequently, a large number of churches in Europe have shut down over the last decade.
Most Europeans have apparently become so elitist in their thinking that they no longer see the need for religion or a faith in God. Are they arrogant and haughty enough to believe that they alone are somehow the source of their own sustenance? No doubt they feel the way some Americans do those whom Iīve heard make remarks like, "Why should I thank God for my food when I bought it with money that I worked for and earned?" What a foolish attitude! They would not be able to take another breath if God did not allow it through His infinite grace and mercy. It would indeed be a tragedy if there came a day when the majority of Americans bought into the elitism of Europe.
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