Kevin Gowen <kgowenNOSPAM@myfastmail.com> wrote:
>Ray Fischer wrote:
>> RonG <rgesell@mb.sympatico.ca> wrote:
>>> On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 05:01:16 +0000, Omphalos wrote:
>>> 
>>>> For years I always read about how much harder Japanese worked than
>>>> other countries. Apparently the tide has turned, according to an
>>>> International Labor Organization report, Americans work more hours
>>>> now than any country in the world.
>>>> 
>>>> Hours worked per year:
>>>> 
>>>> US   1,979
>>>> Japan  1,842
>>>> UK  1,719
>>>> Germany 1,480
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Productivity per worker (in US $):
>>>> 
>>>> US  $54,870
>>>> Belgium $53,370
>>>> Canada $44,870
>>>> Japan $40,870
>>>> 
>>>> If you calculate productivity per hour Belgium and France come out
>>>> on top. 
>>>> 
>>>> I think the longer # of hours worked in the US is due to
>>>> opportunity; there has been a lot of work available in the past
>>>> decade and people take advantage of it. I would expect lower
>>>> productivity per worker in Japan since there has always been a lot
>>>> of overemployment, keeping workers on that you don't really need.
>>>> This raises business costs but lowers social costs associated with
>>>> unemployment. 
>>>> 
>>>> All things considered, I think I'd rather live in France and have 6
>>>> weeks vacation a year.
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> Don't forget that in USA about 60% of the population is employed. In
>>> Europe its between 45 and 52%. Not only are are Americans earning
>>> more, 
>>> but there are more of them earning more.
>> 
>> But in the US the greater productivity is going to make the already
>> rich even richer.  Less of that earning actually goes into the pockets
>> of the earners.
>
>How so? The already rich are earners.

They "earn" the wealth generated by others.

The US has a high and rapidly growing disparity between rich and poor.
The increases is worker productivity have resulted not in an increase
in the incopme of the typical worker, but an enmourmous increase in
the income of the wealthy corporate executives.

-- 
Ray Fischer         
rfischer@sonic.net