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Well the most efficiently functioning welfare states are ones that serve small and homogeneous populations. The United States is neither small nor homogeneous (
by sirkneeland 13y ago
Well the most efficiently functioning welfare states are ones that serve small and homogeneous populations. The United States is neither small nor homogeneous (and it is incredibly geographically dispersed for extra kicks).
The largest country in Europe (Germany) has a population that is less than 1/3 the that of the United States, and more homogeneous than every US state (let alone all of them combined) with the possible exception of Vermont.
And I bet even within Europe you would find the best and most efficient healthcare, education and other public services come from the smaller countries. Finland and Norway likely to better than Germany and France.
Given how many of us deal with challenges of "scaling up" tech, processes and organizations as part of our jobs, I'm surprised more people don't really seem to consider the practical limitations of scale for projects of government.
- bryanlarsen 13y agoCanada is larger, more geographically dispersed and less homogeneous than the United States, and yet manages to have a functioning single-payer medical system.
- pbreit 13y agoLarger by land mass, perhaps, but much smaller by most other measures. And substantially more homogenous (not sure how you're getting a different impression). "Functioning" is maybe a decent description and a pretty low target.
- wmoxam 13y ago> And substantially more homogenous (not sure how you're getting a different impression) Not sure what you define as 'homogenous' but over 20% of Canada's population is foreign born, and less than 57% are english speaking by mother tongue.
- pbreit 13y agoI would not consider 80% white Western European to be as diverse as the US. I don't think the Canadian French thing contributes a whole lot to diversity.
- bradleyboy 13y agoImportant to note that while Canada is geographically large, it's population is far from dispersed. Half the population lives in a ~700mi corridor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City%E2%80%93Windsor_Corridor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City%E2%80%93Windsor_Cor...
- mfringel 13y agoNot sure what you mean by one state being more or less homogeneous than another. The entities who would be receiving healthcare are 100% human, by population, regardless of state. Are you working from a different definition of homogeneous?