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You're wrong. Look no further than at the Soviet Union and Communist China for examples. While Microsoft was being built in the US in the late 80's...what were

by cellis 6y ago

You're wrong. Look no further than at the Soviet Union and Communist China for examples. While Microsoft was being built in the US in the late 80's...what were Russian and Chinese innovators building? The Russian Bill Gateses were plotting to steal factories and oil wells and nickel mines, the Chinese were plotting to get political posts. Those are the extreme examples. How about Europe? In the late 80's and early 90's almost no major innovative companies came from Europe. What explains that?

texasbigdata 6y ago
Having lived a few short years in a communist country it’s hard to describe just how corrosive the mentality is. Institutions matter so so so much. America is unbelievably blessed. This is terrible to say, but you have to (my belief) basically wait for that older generation to die and the newer one to mature to undo the effects of that regime. There is a crazy game theory degradation when you lose trust and corruption rises. It’s hard to convey just how insidious and broken such a society is. And this is communism, not socialism which appears to be fine based on Western European experience. One of Mitt Romney’s coworkers at Bain wrote a book a few years ago and France is actually more productive than America and has grown faster, as measured on GDP dollars per capita per hour. Aka they are more productive. Yet USA works like 2100 hours per year and France is closer to 1700, which is why you have the GDP per capita differential. End of the day, institutions matter.
- triceratops 6y ago
  Sounds like France is getting the better end of the bargain.
  - ArnoVW 6y ago
    And that does not even take into account rate of endebtment. Nor the fact that the US has several historical advantages, like the role of the dollar, or the fact that they emerged out of WW II with 'only' 250k dead and their economy and infrastructures intact.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
triceratops 6y ago
This is true. But it's not relevant to GP's point. GP is decrying the culture of hero-worshipping individuals, instead of appreciating the system that allows them to flourish.

by cellis 6y ago

texasbigdata 6y ago

Having lived a few short years in a communist country it’s hard to describe just how corrosive the mentality is. Institutions matter so so so much. America is unbelievably blessed. This is terrible to say, but you have to (my belief) basically wait for that older generation to die and the newer one to mature to undo the effects of that regime. There is a crazy game theory degradation when you lose trust and corruption rises. It’s hard to convey just how insidious and broken such a society is. And this is communism, not socialism which appears to be fine based on Western European experience. One of Mitt Romney’s coworkers at Bain wrote a book a few years ago and France is actually more productive than America and has grown faster, as measured on GDP dollars per capita per hour. Aka they are more productive. Yet USA works like 2100 hours per year and France is closer to 1700, which is why you have the GDP per capita differential. End of the day, institutions matter.

triceratops 6y ago
Sounds like France is getting the better end of the bargain.
- ArnoVW 6y ago
  And that does not even take into account rate of endebtment. Nor the fact that the US has several historical advantages, like the role of the dollar, or the fact that they emerged out of WW II with 'only' 250k dead and their economy and infrastructures intact.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

triceratops 6y ago

This is true. But it's not relevant to GP's point. GP is decrying the culture of hero-worshipping individuals, instead of appreciating the system that allows them to flourish.