tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post1659680575497746674..comments2023-10-31T05:03:38.910-07:00Comments on Letters from a broad...: Rethinking Economics 2: Lessons from Switzerland!!C. L. Hansonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-27956645039112130322012-11-20T22:20:15.162-08:002012-11-20T22:20:15.162-08:00Hey Joe!!!
Amazing, isn't it? And yet your s...Hey Joe!!!<br /><br />Amazing, isn't it? And yet your story doesn't surprise me at all -- that's just what it's like. The Swiss rail system is incredible!C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-47502786980144906622012-11-20T21:44:07.791-08:002012-11-20T21:44:07.791-08:00Chanson: May I offer a bit of testimony about the...Chanson: May I offer a bit of testimony about the amazing Swiss rail system. In June I was part of a Ramblers (British walking group) 14 days of alpine hikes, based in Villars-sur-Ollon, Pontresina (near St. Moritz), and Saas Fee (near Zermat)--all connected by rail, out of London. The return west, from P to S, was via the famous Glacier Express, over one spectacular stone trestle after another. In the other direction, V to P, to save some money, I think, we went the more prosaic route, to Aigle (by bus), then by rail to Lucerne, Zurich, Chur, Samadin, and Pontresina. Four times we had to change trains, dragging our luggage out onto the platform, to the stairs, down and across to another platform (finding the right one), and getting onto the appropriate second class section. The time we had for these changes, in minutes: Lucerne, 5; Zurich, 9; Chur, 6; and Samedin, 3!<br /> No problem. We would get into our seats, catch our breath, and the train would start moving, exactly at the scheduled time.<br /> Only in Switzerland!<br /> JoeBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06755822937234473824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-11575373915113046542012-11-20T00:11:51.073-08:002012-11-20T00:11:51.073-08:00p.s. Very cool article. "Switzerland conside...p.s. Very cool article. "Switzerland considers education, research and innovation to be a top priority." I would love to see the US adopt those kinds of priorities and put them into action like that.C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-68619337002233097822012-11-20T00:00:23.751-08:002012-11-20T00:00:23.751-08:00Hey Ivo!!!
Thanks for the additional perspective!...Hey Ivo!!!<br /><br />Thanks for the additional perspective!<br /><br />My discussion of public spending vs. private spending was essentially directed at Americans because there's this bizarre belief there that private spending and public spending are two opposite animals (one good and one evil). If you spend a lot of time talking people on the American political right about taxes and government spending, you will quickly pick up on this weird vibe that they see the government as some foreign occupying power exacting tribute. I was trying to question that attitude by pointing out how public and private investment can work in concert, and we can use our knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of each to make that happen.<br /><br />Your example of the private investment in ETH and other research institutions is a case in point. Of the three Swiss items I mentioned in the original post, investment in research institutions comes from both public and private, investment in public infrastructure (eg. public transportation) is almost entirely public, whereas the extensive Swiss support for local/seasonal or fair-trade agriculture is (I think) almost entirely due to private initiatives. So public and private spending are not somehow totally opposite and unrelated beasts.<br /><br />The biggest thing that has impressed me about Switzerland since I've been living here is the cultural value people place on making solid investments for the future (both for individuals and for society). This has been a big culture shock for me as an American because I grew up surrounded by a cultural attitude that it's great to buy more junk just for the pleasure of buying more junk.<br /><br />Now, I apologize if this whole series comes off as very negative towards Americans. I do think that there are a lot of great things about America and about Americans. But even more, I think there are great things about observing other cultures. You will get new ideas and new perspective on your own beliefs.C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-5593568921218435552012-11-19T14:04:00.737-08:002012-11-19T14:04:00.737-08:00Also, this:
Federal funding of education, researc...Also, this:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sbf.admin.ch/htm/sbf/bfi_13-16_en.html" rel="nofollow">Federal funding of education, research and innovation 2013–2016</a><br /><br />Spending for education and research going *up* by 3.7% yearly in these times of economic crisis!<br /><br />Sometimes I'm proud of my country.ivohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18250546017804543804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-72052671516030576822012-11-19T13:52:53.133-08:002012-11-19T13:52:53.133-08:00A side remark on Swiss research investment: my fat...A side remark on Swiss research investment: my father, who works for the Federal government (at the Secretariat for Education and Research), once told me that the yearly public investment in research in Switzerland is actually dwarfed by what the private sector puts in. E.g. the federal government pumps lots of money into the ETH and EPFL, but these also have very strong links with the industry (they're engineering schools after all): much research is done here with money from the private sector, and (as you've mentioned) the researchers are encouraged to create spin off companies based on their research. This is even more true for the many Fachhochschulen ("Universities of Applied Sciences and Arts"). But there is also the huge amount of research going on within the companies (think e.g. of the chemistry and pharma giants here). So, I'd say that the Swiss private sector is quite enlightened and long-sighted too, in this way.<br /><br />Of course, being a pure mathematician I am - like all other fundamental researchers - especially grateful for the public money! :-)ivohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18250546017804543804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-62998573330077389832012-11-15T07:34:41.026-08:002012-11-15T07:34:41.026-08:00A wise economist once said that you don't pay ...A wise economist once said that you don't pay people to dig holes and fill them back in again just to fuel the economy.<br /><br />I assume you are referring to Hayek and his students with this statement. Unfortunately, the US has been following the Keynesian school of economics since the Great Depression. I wonder if Keynes died before he said you eventually have to pay for all of that spending.<br /><br />You're also touting another basic. Country's with a competitive advantage should take that. If France is really good at making win and cheese, they should make those and trade for the goods they need.The Sinister Porpoisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06598370622023551565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-10097043157535833482012-11-11T10:27:08.197-08:002012-11-11T10:27:08.197-08:00Thanks!!!Thanks!!!C. L. Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12698855413639518095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19053670.post-62736665394909242102012-11-11T10:01:17.511-08:002012-11-11T10:01:17.511-08:00Nice work!Nice work!groovesockethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03193763711070289794noreply@blogger.com