I like keeping a keen on on the former Soviet Bloc countries in central Europe. The horrors of communism is fresh in their minds and unlike most everybody else, they don't hate the US and they actually are embracing free markets and capitalism. And it certainly shows;
It's nice to see that there are places in the world where people like capitalism for the wealth it has brought to them. However, as someone who has ancestry in one of those ex-communist countries, I observed that many, many people still don't get it. Under communism, they were lamenting how bad everything was. Now, under capitalism, they live in paradise (compared to earlier times) but still won't appreciate the way they got there. Instead, they are voting more money out from government (i.e., other people), and for socialist labour codes (e.g. Czech Republic last year).
ReplyDeleteTake a look at Slovakia. They elected a new, socialist government last year, after the preceding government implemented 19% flat taxes for income, corporations, sales tax, etc., thereby boosting investments and GDP growth to an astonishing 7%! And the voters cannot even say "thank you"...
As much as I would like to agree the word "convergence" comes to mind. Control that stuff for income circa 1990.
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