Is Europe proof that we don't need freedom, liberty or any of that Fascist, right-wing bullshit?

Question

All of Europe has big government, a cradle to grave welfare state, major government involvement in private business, very little private property rights, mild forms of Socialism, hate speech laws and gun bans; yet they are happier, healthier and better educated.

Long live the State!

Answer 1

Happier, healthier, and better edcuated? Prove it. Sources.

Answer 2

Happier?



Even in the countries with higher suicide rates?



Healthier? Even though, when you eliminate traffic fatalities and homocides, the US has a longer average lifespan?



Better Educated? Ok, their schools are not run by left wing teacher unions, so they have a better opportunity to actually be educated.

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They're obviously better educated, since you seem unable to discern the difference between what I was talking about - unionized (i.e. forced mediocrity) teachers - and what you said - left wing thought.



You see, it is a matter of the quality of the educator, rather than the specific slant of their beliefs, that matter. Europe does not have the equivalent of our unionized teachers, or the politicization of the curriculum or the acceptance of inferior work or the acceptance of students at university requiring remedial classes in core curricula.



They don't believe in fostering unearned self-esteem - and they push the children to academic excellence, or get them out of the system so they don't interrupt the real students.



The Democrats are making public schools not places of education but jobs programs for DNC voters. And the children suffer as a result.

Answer 3

Really? Do you listen to yourself? Have you even ever been to Europe? Europe is a great example of how not to function economically. Think of it this way. Germany once supported a genocidal dictator, Greece's economy is in the toilet, the United Kingdom has a democracy (Parliament), Vatican City is cut off from the rest of the world, Italy once supported a dictator, Ireland is constantly bashed for its alcohol intake (whether it's true or not doesn't matter)...my point is this; many European countries do have democracies which includes freedoms. Your ignorance proves that you know nothing of the world around you.

Answer 4

First, freedom and liberty aren't any more properly wing or fascist values. Your rivalry in that regard is decrease than moronic. and not in any respect all of Europe is to the left of the U. S. in words of social classes. Spain, Italy, Romania, Portugal, and Greece are way down the list in those key respects. Yup. And all of us know what sort of "prosperity" they're taking area in! No state in Europe and really no longer the U. S. minimizes sources rights, or promotes what you ignorantly call "atheism". Like quite some different terminology you've horribly perplexed, it sort of feels to be freedom of/from faith that your diatribe fallaciously attacks. about 5 international locations in Europe have effectively banned handguns. another kinds of firearms are awkward or clumsy to purchase in others. Switzerland and Finland have a lot less firearms regulations, typically, than the U. S.. health care criteria in maximum of Europe are some distance larger than in the U. S.. attempt gaining knowledge of someplace except on slimy properly wing neo-Nazi web content and FOX. you have not realized a lot, yet per chance there continues to be desire. short answer: No, Europe isn't "information" of any of your specious/fraudulent "factors", nor does a lot you espouse have some thing to do with actuality. One exciting frame of mind that ecu journey does ascertain is that there are more than a number of procedures in which democracy ought to correctly be advanced and administered.

Answer 5

You know, if I wasn't originally born and raised in a European country, I'd probably believe a bunch of the horse sneeze propaganda that you liberals like to toss around. But since, I've spent much of my life over there, I happen to know better and laugh when I read crap like this.



The average person in Europe lives in an apartment the size of a walk-in closet in America, and that is a fact.



If that's the type of freedom that you long for... have at it! MOVE!

Answer 6

No. But it is proof that a generous welfare state is no deterrent to individual liberty - just a deterrent to Corporate liberty. But it is also proof that an unpaid for welfare state is disastrous and there is no greater danger to individual liberty than economic disaster.



No matter how generous or thin a welfare state may be, it works everywhere it is fully paid for by adequate tax revenue. It fails everywhere it is funded by deficits and borrowing. In the US we have doubled down - with the thinnest of welfare states and not even rising to pay for the thin one we have.

Answer 7

Most European countries do not inhibit their citizen's civil liberties more than the USA.



In fact, a great many people are imprisoned in the US for long periods of time for drug use. Europeans have more liberty in that respect. A much larger fraction of the US population is in prison than is the case in Europe.

Answer 8

America is full of idiot 2 faced population. According to Americans, the government should provide for its people and create jobs. However, they do not realize that this is one of the key concepts of socialism. In France, taxes are really high. They have the highest tax rates in the world. They provide healthcare and salaries are relatively low because of government interaction. In America, we want lots of jobs with a growing population and very high salaries just because we have a paper that says "bachelor of arts, science." And we want the government to just make jobs. The only people that should really have high paying jobs should be people in engineering, science, and biological fields.

Answer 9

As someone who lives in europe, and is a socialist, how does any of this affect freedom, liberty or that? Btw they are the opposite of right wing ideals, the freedom of speech is inherently left wing (though i am in two minds on hate speech laws, which are left wing, and does seem to be against it) This has got to be a con. trolling.............

Answer 10

Europe also has greater social mobility, more civil liberties, a more free press, better human rights, more tolerance of gay marriage, better democratic institutions.



If you really think Europe is less free then you are an utter idiot. Europeans have far more autonomy and control over their own lives, precisely because of the fact that Europeans realised that some "freedoms" actually contradict and undermine others.

The "freedom" from consumer regulation leads to people being unaware of what is in their food.

"freedom" from guns means people are not afraid of violent crime and are able to go out, hell, even leave doors unlocked.

"freedom" from unregulated business allows people to earn the wages they deserve and allows greater equality and consequently better health and social mobility. Where people's lives arent determined for them by their birth.

and the"freedom" to form a union, well, as much as the american right protests otherwise, employees have as many rights and are as entitled to freedom as businesses.



And despite the idiotis on the right, being influenced by the state (an institution which we actually vote for) does not make you any less free than being influenced by businesses (whuch we dont vote for and which, thanks to oligopolies and barriers to entry, we have very little ability to alter ourselves). Why is paying a private company or health more "free" than the state giving it for free?

Grow up.



Shocking, eh?

Answer 11

Holland, Germany, Austria, Finland and Switzerland are wealthy mercantile countries.



What you are really describing is countries in the south like France and Greece.



Its a bit like comparing the US and Guatemala. Just because they sit on the same continent doesn't mean they are the same.

Answer 12

what world are you living in. The Euro is about to disappear along with the wealth of the countries that use it

Answer 13

Sweden and Norway actually have the highest standard of living and health care in the world, unfortunately... We need to reform our healthcare system to be at the top again in this competitive world!





Source: http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

Answer 14

As long as you think it's sustainable...



http://www.economist.com/blogs/charlemagne/2012/01/europes-debt-crisis

Answer 15

Were you dropped on your head as a baby?

Answer 16

liberalism is a mental disorder

Answer 17

If europe is so great, why haven't you immigrated there?

Answer 18

Give me liberty or give me death