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Comment by bootloop | Hacker News Reader

This comment is mixing up too many topics.

I will just say that doing what US companies do should not be what Europe should aim for to get ahead. It would be no step forward.

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Looking at a 30 year trend in, say, the S&P 500 vs the European stock index, suggests Europe would do much better if they started emulating US business.

Would that emulation be prioritizing shareholder returns over everything else (those profits have come at the expense of the environment and US worker pay and benefits)? As an American, I implore Europe to not make the same mistakes we have in the name of unbridled capitalism. Defend the quality of life you have that we foolishly relinquished.

Agreed. If all worker protection laws (minimum wage, holiday, overtime, safety regulations, etc.) are repealed tomorrow, there would be a huge jump in S&P500. If America does this, should Europe follow suit lest it falls behind? It is best to maximize quality of life for citizens, not total stock market index.

> It is best to maximize quality of life for citizens, not total stock market index.

Feel free to relocate if you're not pleased with the quality of life where you currently live.

That's funny. Moving to a different country is a complicated and long process. It can take over a decade, require thousands of dollars in expenses and hundreds of hours of work. Investing in another country's stock market takes 5 minutes and you can do it on your phone. Shouldn't it be "feel free to buy a different index fund if you're not pleased with the growth in your country's index," instead of "feel free to relocate if you're not pleased with the quality of life where you currently live"?

That’s an incredibly dishonest put-down certain sort of people use.

For one thing, it’s not exactly easy to move to another country, not since World War I. You can’t simply pick a country and move to it - and you full well known that when you dismiss somebody with this sentence.

For another, I like my country. And I have every right to not like where it’s heading. “If you don’t like my politics, emigrate” is preposterous.

> those profits have come at the expense of the environment and US worker pay and benefits

Have they? I don't think that's clear at all.

Yes they had, the US is lagging behind on worker metrics on the developed world (just maybe not in salaries).

>It would be no step forward.

By which set of metrics? These US companies are extremely successful. I'm assuming your ideological position(s) runs afoul of them, and that's fine, but how does that help businesses in the EU?

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