[Culturechat] Denmark: A Case Study in Social Democracy (From Mises Institute)

[WesTexas@aol.com]

Mr. Hansen'r original article, which was published in 2002, is on the Mises 
website at:  http://www.mises.org/fullarticle.asp?control=905

In that article, Mr. Hansen stated that of 4.2 million Danes over the age of 
18, only 45% were employed in the private sector.  The majority, 55%, were 
receiving full or part time transfer payments from the government (including 
pensions) and/or working for the government.  

The math is pretty straight forward.  55% of the country has a vested 
interest in maintaining or expanding the welfare state, and most of Europe is in a 
similar situation.   The problem for the 55% arises of course when the 45% 
refuses to play ball any more and votes with their feet--resulting in some Danes 
discussing ways to keep the 45% from escaping.  

This is not a new issue.  All of the countries that have tried extreme 
collectivism have ultimately had to resort to the use of force to keep their 
citizens from escaping, e.g.. the Soviet Union, East Germany; North Korea, Cuba, etc. 
 I believe Ayn Rand wrote a novel that addressed this very issue.  

J. Brown