What first-world nation is the most ‘free’ economically? I’m just curious, as I was thinking about where I could spend a semester or two abroad, and I got around to thinking about places with greater economic freedom.
I can’t think of one, to be honest.
Hong Kong
[quote]LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Hong Kong[/quote]
Yeah, that’s the best example - it was practically laissez faire when the Brits were in charge.
[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
http://www.heritage.org/Index/countries.cfm
[/quote]
Phwoar! Australia pwns USA!
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
I wonder if freer actually equals less oppurtunity to bludge?
[quote]Spry wrote:
BostonBarrister wrote:
http://www.heritage.org/Index/countries.cfm
Phwoar! Australia pwns USA!
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
I wonder if freer actually equals less oppurtunity to bludge?[/quote]
That would make sense with Australia’s high placing, apparently we work some of the longest hours in the western world.
I guess the heritage foundation thing sums it all up.
@ Spry, what kind of company are you talking about? There are lots of jobs in the U.S. that require 72+ hours per week too.
[quote]Asgardian wrote:
I guess the heritage foundation thing sums it all up.
@ Spry, what kind of company are you talking about? There are lots of jobs in the U.S. that require 72+ hours per week too.[/quote]
I am a performance tester. I conducted the performance testing of a SAP upgrade for a finance company in HK.
So in short - Information Technology Consulting.
Yeah, I know, professional services jobs where your only purpose is to charge clients for your time (lawyers, etc.) tend to require more hours than other jobs.
Wow, you said I told you so for me, not that I was going to. Thanks for the info, I was just curious. Not many w/ Hong Kong experience around here in Michigan, USA
Edit - Or Australia for that matter…
[quote]Asgardian wrote:
Wow, you said I told you so for me, not that I was going to. Thanks for the info, I was just curious. Not many w/ Hong Kong experience around here in Michigan, USA
Edit - Or Australia for that matter…[/quote]
Ha! I wouldn’t call it ‘HK experience’ (unless I am applying for a job mind you).
Working remotely over the Interweb is the same if I do it in Melbourne, Sydney or HK.
I live in Brisbane and flights cost money.
I’m currently got a terminal session open to a Sydney computer right now actually (yeah so I bludge a bit on T-Nation while I work - sue me).
But, yes, financial freedom actually costs you your freedom… Hmmm that makes no sense.
Wish I was on the dole!
[quote]Spry wrote:
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
[/quote]
The 40 hour work week is a myth. It only applies to unionized labor.
Go figure, industry that relies on unionized labor is taking a beating in the US. Is this just a coincidence?
[quote]LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Spry wrote:
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
The 40 hour work week is a myth. It only applies to unionized labor.
Go figure, industry that relies on unionized labor is taking a beating in the US. Is this just a coincidence?
[/quote]
In my contracting travels I’ve seen some awesome workplace conditions because of unions.
A semi-private utility company has 9 day fortnights PLUS flex-time (you work an extra 15 minutes you accrue leave) PLUS allowances for everything PLUS a decent wage (they were offered 4.5% increase each year for the next 3 years but turned it down for a better offer!) PLUS 6 weeks annual leave (normal is 4 in Oz) PLUS 7hr 15min work days PLUS PLUS PLUS
Makes me want to join union right now…
[quote]Spry wrote:
LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Spry wrote:
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
The 40 hour work week is a myth. It only applies to unionized labor.
Go figure, industry that relies on unionized labor is taking a beating in the US. Is this just a coincidence?
In my contracting travels I’ve seen some awesome workplace conditions because of unions.
A semi-private utility company has 9 day fortnights PLUS flex-time (you work an extra 15 minutes you accrue leave) PLUS allowances for everything PLUS a decent wage (they were offered 4.5% increase each year for the next 3 years but turned it down for a better offer!) PLUS 6 weeks annual leave (normal is 4 in Oz) PLUS 7hr 15min work days PLUS PLUS PLUS
Makes me want to join union right now…
[/quote]
…and someone is thinking very hard right now about how to make the stuff they make in China, which is when they all will be waiting tables with no benefits whatsoever.
[quote]orion wrote:
Spry wrote:
LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Spry wrote:
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
The 40 hour work week is a myth. It only applies to unionized labor.
Go figure, industry that relies on unionized labor is taking a beating in the US. Is this just a coincidence?
In my contracting travels I’ve seen some awesome workplace conditions because of unions.
A semi-private utility company has 9 day fortnights PLUS flex-time (you work an extra 15 minutes you accrue leave) PLUS allowances for everything PLUS a decent wage (they were offered 4.5% increase each year for the next 3 years but turned it down for a better offer!) PLUS 6 weeks annual leave (normal is 4 in Oz) PLUS 7hr 15min work days PLUS PLUS PLUS
Makes me want to join union right now…
…and someone is thinking very hard right now about how to make the stuff they make in China, which is when they all will be waiting tables with no benefits whatsoever.[/quote]
I thought that was before unions, the part with no benefits.
[quote]kaaleppi wrote:
orion wrote:
Spry wrote:
LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Spry wrote:
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
The 40 hour work week is a myth. It only applies to unionized labor.
Go figure, industry that relies on unionized labor is taking a beating in the US. Is this just a coincidence?
In my contracting travels I’ve seen some awesome workplace conditions because of unions.
A semi-private utility company has 9 day fortnights PLUS flex-time (you work an extra 15 minutes you accrue leave) PLUS allowances for everything PLUS a decent wage (they were offered 4.5% increase each year for the next 3 years but turned it down for a better offer!) PLUS 6 weeks annual leave (normal is 4 in Oz) PLUS 7hr 15min work days PLUS PLUS PLUS
Makes me want to join union right now…
…and someone is thinking very hard right now about how to make the stuff they make in China, which is when they all will be waiting tables with no benefits whatsoever.
I thought that was before unions, the part with no benefits.[/quote]
Or after the Unions have destroyed themselves or rather the foundation of their existence.
Funny that a cartel is evil when it is formed by companies good when formed by workers even though the goals are the same.
Well, you know how it goes. At some point of it’s development an organisation starts to protect itself and depending of the situation, the selfprotection can become counterproductive.
Unions are a scam. They protect the least skilled workers. Why should some idiot who has only been working one or two years make the same pay rate as a seasoned vet?
Unions come across as being pro worker but they are just pro-lawyer. At the end of the day they only care about how many union members are paying their dues for protection. If I was forced to join a union I would not be happy. What happens when unions go on strike and now some poor schmuck who would have been happy taking a pay cut now has to lose entire weeks worth of pay?
You can be sure their lawyers are still billing hours while that poor schmuck’s kid starves.
[quote]Beowolf wrote:
What first-world nation is the most ‘free’ economically? I’m just curious, as I was thinking about where I could spend a semester or two abroad, and I got around to thinking about places with greater economic freedom.
I can’t think of one, to be honest.[/quote]
Switzerland. It has the highest proportion of financial assets to total assets. This indicates the highest amount of free market economics of all nations. A low ratio of financials to total indicates less investment in growth and more in real (land, cattle, and so forth).
Definitely Switzerland…or visit my future home, Ouray, Colorado (Little Switzerland) ;D
[quote]orion wrote:
Spry wrote:
LIFTICVSMAXIMVS wrote:
Spry wrote:
I’ve contracted to a HK company before for a month (worked over the Interweb mind you) and they expect 12 hour days and 6 day weeks.
The 40 hour work week is a myth. It only applies to unionized labor.
Go figure, industry that relies on unionized labor is taking a beating in the US. Is this just a coincidence?
In my contracting travels I’ve seen some awesome workplace conditions because of unions.
A semi-private utility company has 9 day fortnights PLUS flex-time (you work an extra 15 minutes you accrue leave) PLUS allowances for everything PLUS a decent wage (they were offered 4.5% increase each year for the next 3 years but turned it down for a better offer!) PLUS 6 weeks annual leave (normal is 4 in Oz) PLUS 7hr 15min work days PLUS PLUS PLUS
Makes me want to join union right now…
…and someone is thinking very hard right now about how to make the stuff they make in China, which is when they all will be waiting tables with no benefits whatsoever.[/quote]
It is a “semi-private utility” meaning it will be hard to outsource directly.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
It is a “semi-private utility” meaning it will be hard to outsource directly. [/quote]
There is not much to outsource. Many of the employees are ‘hands-on’ in the factory part.
The others are in the finance part managing the books - which is not nomrally outsourced.
The only thing they get people in for is specialist stuff like me.
So yeah, the union has them by the balls.