@averagejoe1 said
I am listening, and it is well-written. I would like, though, to skip a few chapters and get to the chapters dealing with recent times?
Then it is pointless.
You want to know why your politicians and government and businesses are not as social as their European counterparts, you have to understand the historical context.
However, to suit your needs (with sweeping generalisations):
Europeans are volatile and less accepting of government line.
Businesses don’t differ much to US businesses, especially international corporations.
Their lobby isn’t as strong as US lobbying though, because politicians have to keep in mind that you can push Europeans only so far before you literally get revolutions happening.
Americans have this dream that anyone can make it to the top and if you fail it’s your own fault.
Europeans know this to be false (the vast majority at the top are there because their parents were or had the money to get them there).
So the concept of good living in Europe is working to live, as much free time and holiday as possible and spending as little time and energy possible on matters of obligation (paying taxes, insurance, health services, etc): an attitude of: “If it’s gotta be done, do it for me, so I can spend more time doing things I enjoy.”
Also, don’t forget that many parts of Europe are open museums with large parts of the population living in places stooped with 1000+ years of history.
In LA the oldest building isn’t 200 years old.
From where I live, it’s 15 minutes to stumble upon your first Panther (panzer V) tank. A present to Breda from the Polish soldiers who liberated the city.
It’s a 2 hour drive to the fields of flanders.
It’s a 10 minute walk to trenches built in the 1620’s in the war against Spain.
It’s a 2,5 hour drive to Bastogne.
Amsterdam is an hour away, Paris 4 hours (by car) and Berlin 6 hours.
Before Corona, you could fly to Rome and back for less than 100 euros.
But Roman buildings, roads, aquaducts (1700 years old) are all over the place.
Churches which are 1100 years old are all over the place.
It’s a 2,5 hour ride to Akken. Which in the 800’s was the centre of Europe.
This does things to a person. History is felt all around you.
And an 80 hour work-week fails to impress when you’re gazing over the field of white crosses at Saint Quentin or standing in St. Peters.