Why do Northern Europeans work 36 hrs and the US 62 hrs/week, with the same result.?

Question

There is not much disperaty, between the lifestyles of Northern Europeans and Americans, they have similar incomes and comforts. Over a year, the gap between actual hrs worked is even bigger, because of the longer vacations. Why is that. Are we less efficent?

Answer 1

Europeans make use of automation in farming and other labour intensive activities. Americans rely on low wage immigrant labour. This skews the numbers.
Also, the results are not the same really. Per capita GDP in the US is still higher than most European countries excluding Swizterland.

Answer 2

No you are not less efficient. I'm from Canada and we have a motion put forward to decrease the work week too. Canada is similar in many aspects to Europe. I have worked in both Canada and the U.S. (I was born in America) and I pay much more in tax in the U.S. than in Canada. Yet in Canada, I can get free quality health care and social programs that support education, child care and nutritional support in schools. In America, I am expected to pay through the nose for everything. I have to work much longer hours to achieve the same standard of living. I think that the American people are being held hostage by their own government that, like a parasite, is feeding off of your back breaking labor.

In America we have been manipulated into believing that we are working for a better tomorrow, but in reality we are working for a bloated bureaucracy that is fighting to sustain it's ever increasing appetite.

Please don't get me wrong. I love America and Americans. I am one and I married one. But we need to fix a system that is out of control.

Answer 3

same results? Which country is the world leader?

U.S. has stronger economy and way more money. The reason you have similar comforts is because things cost more here, which continues the cycle of working longer and getting paid more.

Answer 4

Now examine the pay differential between the executive managment of Northern European companies and American companies and there is where you will see the big gap.

Ameircan workers overall do not benefit from the financial outcome of their labor unless they are self employed.

Answer 5

no u guys have socialism i believe, here in america, we have capitalism. now we have alot of rich people and a lot of poor people, we dont really have a middle class anymore, this is going to cause a lot of problem hmmm....

Answer 6

In Amercia we have way poor people and way rch people, in Europe it is not that way so think about it there is exploitation here

Answer 7

Euros put people first. our gov't puts corporations first.