Are Americans richer or Europeans?

[Melanie31]

Are Americans richer or Europeans? but think about society in general.

[AyChingao]

What measure of "rich" are we applying. Taken as a total US may have more wealth as far as GDP is concerned. Moneywise if you like, however, something like 40% of the total wealth is held by the very top 1% and 40% of Americans would struggle to meet a $400 emergency, many live paycheck to paycheck or are homeless, can't afford healthcare, or are food insecure. To top this all off Republicans are characterizing these people as lazy freeloaders looking for a handout and trying to rip away every bit of social safety net that there is including Social Security which is the retirement that most Americans pay for throughout their lives. They EARNED that benefit.
On the other hand, in general, Europeans are more likely to be paid a decent wage, have shorter work weeks, recieve life improving government benefits that their tax money pays for. Should'nt the taxes you pay benefit you in some way? That's how it should work, however Americans have largely been propagandized over the decades to view anyone taking assistance in whatever form as leeches... this is wonderful for the general state of mind od the country (sarcasm)... I could go on and on. Suffice it to say that in my opinion, on average europeans and scandinavians are wealthier by far than Americans just in peace of mind and other human factors. America commits human rights violations every morning noon and night and is getting nastier by the day.

[Pohjolan]

Americans hands down. A lot of Europa was under communist rule until 1991 and is now playing catchup.

Well except Ukrainans who are currently trying to avoid being ruled by a foreign KGB-agent.

Moreover a lot of Europe was in ruins after WWII while USA wasn't.

2100 they are maybe on par with each other unless if burgers do something stupid like having a civil war.

Though quality of life is better in some aspects in some countries like public transportation or crime levels.

[glennos89]

Only half of the countries in Europe where under communist rule! The other half are all among the richest countries in the world! I think of you purely look at the wealth of the population within countries that Sweden is by far the richest country of them all

[Pohjolan]

@glennos89
America accounts for 32% of global liquid investable wealth while representing about 4.2% of the world's population.
Also countries like Norway and Switzerland are richer per capita than Sweden.

[glennos89]

Your government might be rich but poverty reeks everywhere throughout your country.
How many homeless people does America have? Your country has underground sewage cities where the homeless have constructed a place to live for themselves. You won't find that in Europe not even in the poorest of countries here.

You are just a typical American guy who believes in the lies your government and media has been telling you all your life but once you get a view from outside, only then you will understand that America isn't so great after al. Europeans dont see the US as a first world country anymore. They are 2nd at best

[Pohjolan]

@glennos89
Have you taken a look at how much debt USA has? It's not the government that makes USA comparatively wealthy as a collective.
USA has 902 billionaires. That's almost a third of all billionaires globally.
Also I'm not a burger.

[glennos89]

That's the problem with your theory my friend. The fact that you have 902 billionairs who have a lot of money combined doesn't mean your country as a whole is rich. The majority of your middle and lower classes are just slightly above bust mostly beneath the poverty line. If the US is so rich, why have they started a financial war with their neighbours?

Your method is based on the total amount of money there is in total inside your country divided by the numbers of citizens. But that wealth is mainly in the hands of a select individuals. I dont think wealth as a nation should measured like that. Instead you should look at your lower and middle class citizens the see how rich you really are

[Pohjolan]

@glennos89
It objectively does mean that the collective is rich. Wealth distribution is a separate matter.
If we measure quality of life or happiness then the 1% only equals one percent but as far as comparing wealth goes the 1% counts as much as they have money.
Future America might have 20% unemployment and people starving on the streets while being even more wealthy than now.

[alli-112]

I'm under the impression that quality of life is better in many parts of Europe (though it depends on where exactly you're looking), a more even overall wealth distribution, and lower poverty rates, so in that sense I'd say the europeans are functionally wealthier. America probably gets the award on a technicality. It's just that since we have a very significant wealth gap, it's more that our rich are way richer than most of the European rich, but our middle class and poor really aren't that different or are much worse off and so can't really be considered wealthier.

But there is also pretty significant diversity of economies in Europe (ex. greece vs the uk) so I'm not sure there's really a reasonable generalization.

[lightbulb27]

americans in general, but europeans get "benefits" forced upon them by the social doctrine whereas americans keep and spend that money in hopes they don't need social benefits.

my relative couldn't buy a nice car in Europe... within a year he had that in usa.

whose really rich are those in the middle east. there's nothing quite like owning an oil well and being a sultan.

[NathanDavis]

that really depends on how you perceive "riches"

personally... I do feel very rich when I have no debt

and with that one factor in mind... not only general debt is bigger in America than it is in Europe, but on the personal level as well.. Americans tend to carry and drag absurd amounts of debt... something that does seem to happen less with Europeans, lol

[Geo1970]

That depends what parts of Europe you are talking about.
Remember that after the fiasco created by Boris Johnson and his advisor Dominick Cummings, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the E. U, so therefore this country hasn’t been part of Europe for around five years.

[AngryCarl2]

UK here. We may not be in the EU (well we're definitely not now I think about it) but geographically we're still part of Europe. We haven't sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

[Geo1970]

My point was politically.
Look at our relationship with Brussels!
I didn’t vote to leave, but my friend, politically we’re out, no turning back.
Even Maggie Thatcher would not give us the vote, she knew of the dangers.
Subsequently Blair also knew. He kept saying that he would give us the vote but never did.

[FenixG45]

The Richrst Countries
Top 10 Richest Countries by GDP per Capita (Nominal, USD):


Rank Country Estimated GDP per Capita (USD)


1 Luxembourg ~$128,000
2 Ireland ~$110,000
3 Switzerland ~$95,000
4 Norway ~$90,000
5 Qatar ~$85,000
6 Singapore ~$82,000
7 United States ~$80,000
8 Iceland ~$78,000
9 Denmark ~$75,000
10 Australia ~$72,000

[jjj101010]

Hard to say, what do u define as rich, it’s not just about the total figure in ur bank account but what that can buy u. It’s all good having $1m in ur bank, but if a glass of water costs u $100k the. U r not rich. The point being rich is probably better reflected as a standard of living

[MrChinaski]

It depends what you mean by 'richer'. Average income per capita is higher in the USA, but the income distribution is skewed so there are more poor people in the USA.

[Gaylordslav]

America has more wealthy people but Europe is better life for most residents. Guarantee all us small towners would love the social life in Europe certainly Croatia

[AviatorTom]

Based on my experience...

Americans have more money.

Europeans have more Joie de Vivre.

[ohsheeT]

I think the goverments are destroying of both are holding g there people down or back so it's pretty well close for both

[exitseven]

I know a lot of people who live in million dollar homes and drive big SUVs. I think Americans are richer.

[DonaldDarko]

Americans, Europeans are always broke because they're socialists.

[AngryCarl2]

In general Europeans are richer. In generally we aren't living in storm sewers, whatever those are.

[AngryCarl2]

I meant storm drains. Sewers don't sound very pleasant.

[kellytheman]

Well I do feel there are more people in America richer in America but there are also more people poor in America also.

[Anonymous]

We have a bigger economy than all of Europe, including the UK.

[Jerre]

I think they are about equal

[Jerre]

@Melanie31 Thank you for the Like

[msc545]

Europeans have better lives.

[Jennz6]

Yes they are

[Cherrysherrylady]

European