Too many folks forget why the European welfare states were created.

Reader comment on: Richard Epstein on Safety Nets

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Feb 29, 2012 10:48

Recall that France and Italy had significant communist parties in 1947-1950. There was felt to be a chance that the parties could have won power. As a result the powers that were made a bargain with the populace for social democracy to counter the Soviet and communist model. Likewise for Greece they actually had a communist war after WWII. Actually if you look at it from the perspective of 1950 the bargains worked well for 40-50 years, and probably were brought down only by the opening of China and the fall of the Soviet Union. ( I suspect had this not happened the model would still be ticking along quite well). If you were 20 in 1950 you made out quite well on this model, partly again as society paying reparations for WWII. I do think that few recognize the total trauma WWII imposed on Europe in terms of psyche.

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