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Comment by TTPrograms | Hacker News Reader

Are you implying that startup success in America requires exploitation of workers? I don't think most people would consider the management of early employees at successful startups to be "exploitative". Most of them are heavily incentivized.

There are specific issues with the worker models of Uber et al, but that's an orthogonal point to the general formation of startups.

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For ultra successful startups, sure everyone gets rich.

I think the issue is with the 95% of startups that have no or moderate success who convince employees that lotto ticket equity and beanbag chairs are worth more than work-life balance, healthcare, and cold hard cash.

> Are you implying that startup success in America requires exploitation of workers? I don't think most people would consider the management of early employees at successful startups to be "exploitative". Most of them are heavily incentivized.

This statement perfectly encapsulates the difference in work culture from the US and Europe. Exploitation doesn't happen because successes exist. You can get rich, so everything is allowed.

Having less social nets and having more startups aren't independent: they both result from an inherently risk taker culture.

(of course, all generalizations are limited and may not apply to all cases)

He's implying that workers should work hard and give all the earnings and IP to the govt so they can "redistribute" and "rehire" for communal good.

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