You are managing director of your U.S. firm’s subsidiary in southern France. The social welfare states of Western Europe were founded in the Second World War with specific ethical considerations in mind: reduce social and economic inequality, improve living standards for the poor, and provide nearly free health care for all. Many countries in Western Europe have trimmed social welfare provisions, privatized businesses, and increased their reliance on market forces.
4-5 Do you think that the cultures of Western Europe have changed over the years and that such ethical concerns are a remnant of the past?
4-6 Do you think that free-market reforms will simply re-create the conditions that gave rise to the welfare state in the first place?
4-7 What can governments do for workers who become displaced, or perhaps obsolete, in a more open and competitive economy?