November 14, 2005

Western Europe: Socialism Destroys The Economy, And Multiculturalism Destroys The Culture

Newsweek recaps some of the data on the decline of Western European cultures.

The native populations of Europe—let's say it, the white populations—are reproducing slowly and aging fast. Without continued immigration, according to the European Union and United Nations statistics, by 2050 the number of Germans will have shrunk from 83 million to 63 million; Italians will go from 57 million to 44 million.

Newsweek offers little explanation for the low birthrates they quote.

In order to understand what's happening in Europe, it's necessary to take into account the economic history of the region, as well as the disastrous  policies of multiculturalism, about which I have posted previously.

Western Europe is getting pounded by a perfect historical storm.  Socialism destroys the economy, and multiculturalism destroys the culture.

It appears possible that a poor economy, plus reduced cultural calls for citizens to do great things, results in a lower desire by people to raise children.

From Robert J. Samuelson, (June, 2005):   

Europe as we know it is slowly going out of business. Since French and Dutch voters rejected the proposed constitution of the European Union, we've heard countless theories as to why: the unreality of trying to forge 25 E.U. countries into a United States of Europe; fear of ceding excessive power to Brussels, the E.U. capital; and an irrational backlash against globalization. Whatever their truth, these theories miss a larger reality: Unless Europe reverses two trends -- low birthrates and meager economic growth -- it faces a bleak future of rising domestic discontent and falling global power. Actually, that future has already arrived.

...It's hard to be a great power if your population is shriveling. Europe's birthrates have dropped well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children for each woman of childbearing age. For Western Europe as a whole, the rate is 1.5. It's 1.4 in Germany and 1.3 in Italy. In a century -- if these rates continue -- there won't be many Germans in Germany or Italians in Italy.

...In the 1970s annual growth for the 12 countries now using the euro averaged almost 3 percent; from 2001 to 2004 the annual average was 1.2 percent. In 1974 those countries had unemployment of 2.4 percent; in 2004 the rate was 8.9 percent.

...One way to revive economic growth would be to reduce social benefits, taxes and regulations. But that would imperil Europe's "social model," which supposedly blends capitalism's efficiency and socialism's compassion.

Consider some contrasts with the United States, as reported by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. With high unemployment benefits, almost half of Western Europe's jobless have been out of work a year or more; the U.S. figure is about 12 percent. Or take early retirement. In 2003 about 60 percent of Americans ages 55 to 64 had jobs. The comparable figures for France, Italy and Germany were 37 percent, 30 percent and 39 percent. The truth is that Europeans like early retirement, high jobless benefits and long vacations.

The trouble is that so much benevolence requires a strong economy, while the sources of all this benevolence -- high taxes, stiff regulations -- weaken the economy.

...Europeans could do something about their predicament. Also, true -- they could, but they're not.

A few countries (Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands) have acted, and there are differences between Eastern and Western Europe. But in general Europe is immobilized by its problems. This is the classic dilemma of democracy: Too many people benefit from the status quo to change it; but the status quo isn't sustainable. Even modest efforts in France and Germany to curb social benefits have triggered backlashes. Many Europeans -- maybe most -- live in a state of delusion. Believing things should continue as before, they see almost any change as menacing.

...Unwilling to address their genuine problems, Europeans become more reflexively critical of America. This gives the impression that they're active on the world stage, even as they're quietly acquiescing in their own decline.

Socialism is a hangover from the tragedy of Communism, an economic model that has now been rejected worldwide. 

Multiculturalism has permitted many in Europe to surrender their Judeo-Christian traditions, which encourage worship, reverence, and devotion -- emotions which could permit those Europeans to sacrifice some of their current economic benefits, to build a better world.

Perhaps with further discussion of this, these European nations would be willing to reform their economies, rather than see their cultures relegated to the dust bin of history.