"Amerikaner snart dubbelt så rika som européer"

Wall Street Journal skriver idag att amerikanarna om 20 år kan vara dubbelt så rika som den genomsnittlige västeuropéen. Detta om skillanderna i ekonomisk tillväxt fortsätter att vara lika stor mellan USA och Europa:

Thousands of union workers and politicians marched in France and Germany yesterday against any and all attempts to tweak their rigid labor rules. What a perfect demonstration that eurosclerosis, that ugly word from three decades ago, is back. The growth trends in the Europe's three largest economies should put all doubt to rest. GDP per capita in Germany, France and Italy is falling, relative to the U.S., to levels below those recorded in the 1970s. ..."At current trends, with demographics the way they are, the average U.S. citizen will be twice as rich as a Frenchman or a German in 20 years," Jean-Philippe Cotis, chief economist at the OECD, told us. (Hämtat från C-log)

Dan Mitchell kommenterar detta på ett bra sätt:

The U.S. economy has been growing much faster than major European economies. But some assert that it does not make much difference if an economy grows by one percent annually or three percent annually. That may be true for those planning on dying in the next year or two. But for those who plan on living for another decade or more - or for those who want a better life for their children or grandchildren, even small differences in economic growth matter.

Om vi inte gör något så kommer vi få se "Border Shops" vid färjeinfarterna till Stockholm, där människor från tidigare Östblocket kan handla billiga svenska varor... Och det lär endast vara förbehållet de riktigt välbeställda att åka till USA, landet som är dubbelt så rikt som Sverige.

Den ljusnande framtid skulle kunna vara vår. Men i dagsläget är den inte det.