Re:German entrepreneurs celebrating their mistakes
by jdietrich on Thursday March 15, 2018 @05:15PM
(#16596583)
Germans have a very different risk-reward preference to Americans.
A majority of the American electorate seem to tolerate at-will employment, the barest minimum of a welfare state and millions of people without healthcare. That set of values is probably part of the reason why America has such a high GDP per capita, but it's not objectively correct.
German companies do take risks and do innovate, but they rarely if ever bet the entire company on a 10x or bust play. German workers enjoy very good statutory rights, but they also have a relationship of mutual trust with employers, aided by a strong and progressive trade union movement. By and large, German workers would rather take a pay cut than see a round of layoffs.
Don't straw-man that position just because you disagree with it. Don't act like the Germans are terrible cowards because they value stability and security. Their society has made an entirely rational and reasonable set of choices about the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers.
A majority of the American electorate seem to tolerate at-will employment, the barest minimum of a welfare state and millions of people without healthcare. That set of values is probably part of the reason why America has such a high GDP per capita, but it's not objectively correct.
German companies do take risks and do innovate, but they rarely if ever bet the entire company on a 10x or bust play. German workers enjoy very good statutory rights, but they also have a relationship of mutual trust with employers, aided by a strong and progressive trade union movement. By and large, German workers would rather take a pay cut than see a round of layoffs.
Don't straw-man that position just because you disagree with it. Don't act like the Germans are terrible cowards because they value stability and security. Their society has made an entirely rational and reasonable set of choices about the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers.