Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
While in past years it seems Americans have been given two options (big, bad gov-
ernment or little, good government), Europeans strive for a third option: big, good gov-
ernment.
In American politics, “socialism” is often perceived as an all-or-none bogeyman,
evoking the stifling Soviet system of the Cold War. This thinking, which fixates on a
Stalin-style oppression that has nothing to do with today's European socialism, ignores the
reality that socialism is a spectrum. Every country on earth—including our own—includes
some socialistic elements (such as our progressive taxation and the entitlements that we've
come to see as the mark of a caring and civilized society).
Like us, Europe is enthusiastically capitalistic. Europeans are just more comfortable
with a higher degree of socialism. Most Europeans continue to favor their existing high
tax rates because they believe that collectively creating the society of their dreams is more
important than allowing individuals to create the personal empire of their dreams.
While American culture tends to be individualistic—inspired by “up by the boot-
straps” and “rags to riches” stories—Europe is more focused on community. While as
a society we are more religious, Europe is more humanistic. In Scandinavia—the most
highly taxed, socialistic, and humanistic corner of Europe—you don't find a church with a
spire on the main square. You find a city hall with a bell tower. Inside, a secular nave leads
not to a pulpit, but to a lectern. Behind that lectern, a grand mosaic tells epic stories—not
from the Bible, but celebrating heroic individuals who contributed mightily to their com-
munity.
