From Chris Bowers over at Open Left:
Levels of socialism in G-20 nations, plus selected other economies
Cuba: 81.4%*
France: 61.1%
Sweden: 58.1%*
Italy: 55.3%
Netherlands: 54.7%
Germany: 48.8%
Canada: 48.2%
Spain: 47.3%
United States: 44.7% (2009)
United Kingdom: 42.1% (2009)
Australia: 43.6%
Saudi Arabia: 40.4%
Turkey: 39.1%
United States: 35.5% (2007)
Indonesia: 33.2%
Japan: 30.9%
South Korea: 29.3%
Mexico: 26.7%
China: 22.0%*
Russia: 20.9%
India: 20.4%
Brazil: 17.3%
That is a pretty dramatic jump for the U.S. in 2 years. While I realize these numbers reflect the enormous bailout- still- it gives you something to think about.
What the Moderate Republican Stands For
The American Conservative » Rod Dreher
Via Meadia
Front Porch Republic
David Brooks
The Soap Box
4 comments:
Interesting. The same source also lists military spending % GDP, which skews the simple Gross/GDP definition of socialism. The figures would relate more directly, IMO, to socialism were we to know the portions which go directly to individual citizens compared to $$ into private enterprise at various steps. In healthcare, for example, the more socialistic G-20 nations offer universal at half the cost as the US...even more considering pharmeceutial pricing. US Medicare Part D, for example, transfers funds directly to private insurers, rather than individuals.
My Part D has gone up 275% in the last five years. Too many hands in the cookie jar, rather than actual costs, IMO. You are right, the bailout thing is a huge driver
in a simple cost ratio formula, a ratio which is perhaps only partically related to what we think is socialism.
All valid points, with all the talk of Obama leading us down the road to socialism I thought some actual numbers would be interesting to look at.
In pondering this, I checked our
spending vs GDP each year (no I did not graph it, economics is too dismal!)
But we note that in 1928 the ratio
was 3.7%..and shortly thereafter the GDP took a 'depressing' dive.
Even the huge spending WWII years
the ratio was not all that high:
21.9% in 1942, 45.7% in 1945, 47.9%in 1946. It is instructive that both spending and GDP grew hugely
in that era. Oddly, this same source indicates a ratio of 21.8%
projected for 2014 (one has to do their own math). They say that
economic recession/depression can be best 'cured' by infusion of govt
$$. The figures support that to the extent that GDP growth seems to follow.
Recessions are preceded by runaway inflation.
Do you all realize that right now our government is printing up trillions of new dollars? And that causes inflation?
Recessions end when inflation stabilizes, what our government is doing is prolonging it.
Post a Comment