Europe vs. the United States of America Essay

Executive summary            The time of the masses when individuals were oblige to both think alike has long set. The contemporary period desexs solid efforts to encourage individuality and diversity of mentations among society members. This generally leads to major differences in lifestyle, regarding basically all moments of live from the act of being born up until the death. Currently, these differences ar most obvious in the midst of the countries of the Middle East, which promote a rather delicate man rights policy, and the rest of the globe that has strict rules regarding complaisant rights.            However the differences among the countries of the Middle East and the rest of the world front to be most relevant at the time, there are also numerous elements that generate diversity between countries that promote similar civilian rights as well as similar social, semipolitic al and economic policies. A relevant example of such(prenominal) differences is obvious in the relationship between two great contemporary powers the get together States of America and atomic number 63 equal by the atomic number 63an Union.            The termination decades have supported the U.S. as the confident(p) global leader in economics, finance, politics and military equipments and capabilities. However, history t for each onees us that atomic number 63 is not to be neglected. The old unmingled has al government agencys been equal to rise above its enemies and, today, some specialists believe that it might be fairish a matter of time until atomic number 63 regains supremacy. It is too soon to assort whether Washington and Brussels will head down the same thoroughfare Rome and Constantinople toward geopolitical rivalry but the warning signs are sure enough present.1 frugal differences      &nb sp     The are numerous features of the parsimony that unlikeiate Europe from the linked States, the most relevant of which being the historical factor, the status of their currencies, the citizens life styles find by the levels of productivity, the unemployment rate, the formation and supported ontogenesis of the European Union or the administration of small and medium-size companies.The historical factor            The historical factor basically refers to the two world wars Europe was involved in and which brought about salient consequences upon the society as a whole and its individuals. Economically destroyed later on the First World War, Europe sought aid from the United States, which soon became their main(prenominal) creditor in all domains from education and medical care system to politics.            In the years 1920 the worlds economy biographyed impressive g rowths in twain Europe and the United States. Such impressive was the growth that it boasted up all economic activities and drove manufacturers towards over end product.The overproducing of goods and services, combined with the already existent shortages generated the ram down of the novel York Stock Market. This led the United States, and automatically its debtors, into the great economic crisis of 19291933, known as the Great Depression. While recovering from the depression, the American countries concentrate most of their finances onto supporting their own economy, leaving the European countries without their main creditor.The currencies            Highly relevant to the economic sectors of U.S. and Europe are their currencies. Up until January 1999, when the EURO was introduced, the U.S. dollar mark was the second strongest currency of the world (following the GBP, Great Britain Pound).Today, the American dollar is except the thir d strongest currency in the world, being preceded by GBP and EURO. However the specialization of the U.S. currency has reduced, the USD continues to remain the safest currency. Proof of this stand the statistics of the Inter discipline Monetary Fund. The statistics ruin that from 1999 to 2006, the accumulation of USD has only decreased from 70.9% to 65.7%,2 the currency still detaining majority.Productivity            another(prenominal) significant difference that balances power towards the United States focuses on the industrial and production sectors. However there are several countries in Europe that register change magnitude levels of life standard, the overall European standard of living is deficient to the U.S. For instance, productivity in the three big European countries, Germany, France and Italy, stopped espial up with the United States productivity in the early 90s, and then addled ground in the recent slowdowns and the U .S. speed-up.3Unemployment             A direct consequence of the decreased productivity rate is the increased number of unemployed citizens in the European countries, compared to a rather stable and controlled unemployment rate in the U.S. Besides productivity, Edmund Phelps believes that liable for the large unemployment rate is the demographic factor. As such, the continuous increase in the European birth rate generates an overpopulation of the continent, an overpopulation that Europe is unprepared to support and hire.The European Union            The European Union was established in the year 1992 and its main objective is to improve the general features of the continent in order to make it steeply competitive on the inter acresal market, and reach a high level of economical, financial and political development.            However up until today Europe is still inferior to the United States, the European Union has contributed significantly to the strengthen of Europes international position. The United States already feels pressured by the euro and the increase strength of Europes economy and its top corporations. The EUs geopolitical ambition is still limited, but there are dismiss signs of wind in the sails.4            A highly relevant example of the European strengthening position is statistically represented by the financial reports on American and European investments. More and more iconic symbols of the American economy and life style have been auctioned and bought by European investors. For instance, among dozens of emblematically American companies and products now owned by Europeans are Brooks Brothers, DKNY, Random House, Kent Cigarettes, dove Soap, Chrysler, Birds Eye, Pennzoil, Baskin-Robbins, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.5Small and medium-size companies  & nbsp         The same study points out that Europe is ruin qualified in their activity of administrating and financing their local businesses. right handling the small and medium-size companies is a factor of economic growth as these companies can easily be shape up highly competitive, contribute to the economic growth of the continent or hosting area and generate available jobs. 65 portion of European jobs in 2002 were in small and medium-sized firms, compared with just 46 percentage in the U.S.6            Characteristic to both small and medium size companies, as well as to large corporations is the human resource policy. Europe offers better services for its employees that the U.S. For instance, on giving birth, European female workers are a granted forty-six weeks maternity leave paid with two thirds of their net (Sweden) or three months of maternity leave and full salary (Portugal), whereas the U. S. federal official government guarantees nothing.7 Social differences            However besides the previously presented issues there are numerous other relevant economic features that differentiate Europe from the United States of America, one has to also consider the social differences. Upon research numerous elements set about the vigilance, such as the cultural differences that derive from the diverse points of view on religion, education system or crime rate.Crime rate            The wrong rate adherent to Europe and U.S. is approached in most cultural summary studies and the conclusions are basically the same America allows far more wretched actions than the continent. What really strikes an old European in looking at the American way of life is the toleration of brutality8 says European Felix Voirol. The unbiased opinion of American Tony Judt from the novel York Times put forwards Yes, Americans put up huge billboards interpreting Love Thy Neighbor, but they murder and rape their neighbors at rates that would injure any European nation.9Migration of population and work force            America was globally perceived as the land of all opportunities, a land that makes dreams come true, that respects and protects individuals and with employers that pay them fair salaries. This was the motivation of millions of Europeans who fled their countries in search of a better life provided by the American land. However, the current situation has changed in the meaning that Europe has improved their general standards of living and has accordingly increased salaries, limiting the number of migrates to the U.S.Religious differences            The predominant religious culture promoted by the Americans is Puritanism. The main controversy regarding Puritanism is the fact that the Purita n doctrine preaches the purity of both the soul and the body, but the American society seems to pay more attention to the body cleanliness, in the meaning of virginity that that of the souls. A naked human body is indecent and, taken as dangerous for minors, simply censored. In contrast there are countless scenes showing people bash themselves out, dropping to the ground bathed in blood or taking each others lives in ever more brutal way10, a state of facts that Europeans dont understand.            However, what is even more different in the religion of the U.S. when compared to the religion of Europe is the limited intervention the church building has upon the government. Religious freedom is more obvious in the U.S. that in Europe, continent almost entirely Christian. Shel Horowitz, editor at the planetary Travel review article states The absence of state-sanctioned religion makes a huge difference to the cultural minorities in the U .S. As a Jew, Im not at all sure Id be comfortable living in a country where Christianity or Islam was completely intertwined with the government.11 Conclusions            Along the years, renowned thinkers such as Adam Smith or Emanuel Kant have promoted the belief that national and international differences reside in culture and personal views of morality. The thinkers of today state that international differences reside in the diverse implementation of economical and political policies. This multitude of opinions reveals the fact that in order to best analyze the similarities and differences between countries, one call for to focus on both social as well as economical features.            In other words, a nation is a mixture of individuals with different backgrounds, opinions and capabilities. These individuals form up groups in concurrence with their interests and the totality of these gro ups forms a country. To better understand the overall features of a country, as well as what are the elements that differentiate it from other nations, the researcher needs to clearly analyze the characteristics of all the groups that form the country. The analysis has to be create from all possible points of view, including economy, politics, culture, technology or finance.BibliographyEdmund S. Phelps, July 2006, Economic Culture and Economic mathematical operation What Light is Shed on the Continents Problem, Venice summer Institute, Venice planetary University, San Servolo, 27 pagesKupchan, Charles, November 11, 2003, The End Of The American Era, First edition, Vintage Publisher, 416 pagesThe world(prenominal) Monetary Fund, 2006, Currency Composition of formalised Foreign Exchange militia (COFER            http//www.imf.org/external/np/sta/cofer/eng/cofer.pdf, last accessed on swear out 16, 2007Tony Judt, February 10, 2005, Eur ope vs. America, The New York Review of Books, mickle 52, Number 2, New York City, http//www.nybooks.com/articles/17726, last accessed on March 16, 2007Felix Voirol, Old World vs. the New World, In defense reaction of the European musical note of Life, No. 7, http//www.taboo-breaker.org/lifestyle/america.htm, last accessed on March 16, 2007Shel Horowitz, Europe vs. the U.S., Global Travel Review,            http//www.frugalfun.com/europe-us.html, last accessed on March 16, 2007Jim Blair, Guns and Pizza The ground forces vs. Europe, Big Issue Ground,      http//www.bigissueground.com/politics/blair-gunspizzausaeurope.shtml, last accessed on          March 16, 2007 herds grass Garton Ash, December 22, 2002, United States of Europe vs. United States of America, Boston University Press,      http//www.buworldofideas.org/shows/2002/12/20021229.asp, last accessed on Marc h    16, 2007Open opening Usage Europe vs. the USA, January 13, 2007, data World,      http//weblog.infoworld.com/openresource/archives/2007/01/open_source_usa.html, last       accessed on March 16, 2007George Irvin, January 16, 2007, Europe vs. USA Whose thrift Wins?, The New Federal List, http//www.taurillon.org/Europe-vs-USA-Whose-Economy-Wins, last accessed on March 16, 2007Simon Gordon, March 13, 2003, SAN bankers acceptance in Europe vs. United States, Search Storage, http//searchstorage.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid5_gci885852,00.html, last accessed on March 16, 2007Howard LaFranchi, March 18, 2004, US vs. Europe two views of terror, The Christian acquirement Monitor, http//www.csmonitor.com/2004/0318/p01s01-usfp.html, last accessed on March 16, 2007V.A. Gijsbers, Atheism In Europe vs. U.S. value Truth Sects, Positive Atheism,      http//www.positiveatheism.org/mail/eml9745.htm, last accessed on March 16, 2007Europe vs. US, the challenge, Tourist Blog,      http//blog.touristr.com/articles/2007/02/06/europe-vs-us-the-challenge, last accessed on            March 16, 2007Matt Asay, January 13, 2007, Open Source Europe vs. USA, Asay Blog      http//asay.blogspot.com/2007/01/open-source-europe-vs-usa.html, last accessed on March 16, 20071 Kupchan, Charles, November 11, 2003, The End Of The American Era, First edition, Vintage Publisher, 416 pages2 The International Monetary Fund, 2006, Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves (COFER)3 Edmund S. Phelps, July 2006, Economic Culture and Economic Performance What Light is Shed on the Continents Problem, Venice Summer Institute, Venice International University, San Servolo, 27 pages4 Kupchan, Charles, November 11, 2003, The End Of The American Era, First edition, Vintage Publisher, 416 pages5 Tony Judt, February 10, 2005, Europe vs. America, The New York Review of Books, Volume 52, Number 2, New York City6 ib.7 Ibid.8 Felix Voirol, Old World vs. the New World, In defense of the European property of Life, No. 79 Tony Judt, February 10, 2005, Europe vs. America, The New York Review of Books, Volume 52, No 2, New York10 Felix Voirol, Old World vs. the New World, In defense of the European quality of Life, No. 711 Shel Horowitz, Europe vs. the U.S., Global Travel Review