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Hello Xenophone and all others
As someone who has lived on both side of the Atlantik I would say there are quite a few differences between Europa and the US. Also and this is often ovrlooked their is also quite a difference between the anglophile contries (like UK, USA, CAN, AUS) and the countinatal european countries as our Political/legal systems are based on diffiernet histories. Please excuse any spelling errors, as I am German English is only my second lenaguage
So lets see the main differnce:
Social Enviroment:
if you use a scale from "Manchester" Capitalism to communism and you put Capitalism to the left and communism to the right you will see the US an this scale a lot nearer the left end as the european countries, wheras the UK as more on the capitalism side then most continatal european countires.
We in Germany see a lot of things you would see fall under Charity as basic right s of the individual whereas the state has to provide this services to fullfill its function in socity:
These are
health care
higher education
housing
public transportation
care for the elderly
to name the most important. Also different european countries have solved the problem difeerntly wheras for example UK uses a state run health care system, D & F uses a insurance based system and other countries some mix
Legal system: Here you hav a main differnce between the US/UK and continatal europa: The US/UK system is based on common law and and advisary system wheras the continatal european system is based on Roman law and codifiaction (especially code napoleon) and much less advisory based, wheras the judge has a lot more influence in the fact finding!
lets see the difference in work, ethnics , religion, sexulality, also n the things commonly named under "Quality of living"
Leisure time is higher in europa - As i see it its a thing called live to work v. work to live. we (as europeans mostly prefer to work less for also some less mony. Also there is not so high preassure to earn more to provide for your familie (see health care, education)
Religion/ ethnics
Europa and the us are quit differntly concerning religous belive , especilly shown in the last two decades wheras the religous right had quit some influnece in the us. here theire influence is quite low- as you can see in the laws concerning homosecuall marraige, abortion, sexual education
Also some kind of "ethnics" dont translate relly well. See especially the questions concering Work space code of conduct wheras some US based companies had there code of conducts thrown out by court as these were incombatible with the privacy laws in most european countries ( like monitoring of work, personal releatoionships between emplyeees and so on)
A nice example here is the German military and women: Germany barred Women from all military duties involing weopans which was practically from all areas. This law was through out by the EU Court. Then Garmny did a 180 and opend all areas to woman, therefore now youhave ome pilots (as in the US ) and also women Tank commanders. At this time the German military imposed a rules similar to the US concerning relationships between the man and women, along the guidelines of the US rules. After I year it was quite clear, did not work. Wwhat was the reaction: Tribunals??. No basically the military through out all the rules and found: Whatever there Personal was doing of duty was of no concern of the military, but Please when you are of duty in the fileds, do not make to much noise as not to disturb your neighbours.
Also the etnics theme is quite stronng inouther areas without the "Religous arguments" The debate in stem cell resarch is still raging also the quetions to gen manipulation of crops. Here is also one more area where there is quite a difference between US and Europa: We are much more hesitant to employ ne technologie especially in the biological fields
Also concernng ethnics is differnt approch to drugs and crime:
Drug users are sen as Ill not criminals therfore the incariation rates in europa are quite lower then in the US. Also as you might no one mayor factor of membership in the Eu is ethe ablosihment of the death penalty. Yo also can see that the sentences are mostly lower in Europa the in the US. For example in Germany the Supreme court hs decided that everybody has to have some kid of hope to leacve the prison otherwise his/her basic human rights would be vuiolated as stated in artivcle on othe the German costitution" Die Würde des Mensche ist Unantastbar" - "Human dignity is inviolable." Which means even I live sentence in Germany means between 15-35 years
Also quit differnt is the laws concerning youth criminals: Till 14 people are seen as children and cannot be brought befor a court - even for killing somebody. Between 14 and at least 18 (depending on circumstnace this range can be extended but not shortend) they are youthfull ofnders with a max. incaration of 10 years
So thats is it for my first run
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