Question

A number of figures illustrate the difference. Governments in the European Union earn, on average, about 45 per cent of gross domestic product, compared with less than 30 per cent in the US. As a result, European governments are able to fund universal access to health care, higher education, family support and job training that the US cannot guarantee. European countries topped the World Happiness Report's life satisfaction ranking, while the United States came in at 19. In 2019, life expectancy in the European Union was 81.1 years, compared with 78.8 in the United States. As of 2019, the share of national income earned by the top 1 percent of households in Western Europe was about 11 percent, compared with nearly 20 percent in the United States. In 2019, the US emitted 16.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person, compared with less than 10 tonnes in the European Union.

Answer 1

The European Union's higher government revenue (45% of GDP) enables robust social services, contributing to superior life satisfaction and longer life expectancy (81.1 years). With lower income inequality (11% for top 1%), EU nations lead in the World Happiness Report. Additionally, the EU emits less carbon dioxide per person (less than 10 tonnes), outperforming the US.

The provided information highlights significant differences between the European Union (EU) and the United States across various socioeconomic indicators. Notably, the average government revenue in the EU, constituting around 45% of the gross domestic product (GDP), surpasses that of the US, which stands at less than 30%. This fiscal disparity allows European governments to provide comprehensive social services, including universal healthcare, higher education, family support, and job training—benefits that the US struggles to ensure.

These policy distinctions contribute to varying levels of life satisfaction, as evidenced by European countries outperforming the US in the World Happiness Report. Moreover, life expectancy in the EU exceeds that of the United States, with the former averaging 81.1 years compared to the latter's 78.8 years. Additionally, income distribution differs, with the top 1 percent of households in Western Europe earning approximately 11 percent of national income, whereas their US counterparts claim nearly 20 percent.

Furthermore, environmental considerations come into play, as the EU emits less carbon dioxide per person, standing at less than 10 tonnes, in contrast to the US, which emitted 16.1 tonnes per person in 2019.

In summary, the EU and the US diverge in governmental revenue, social services provision, life satisfaction, life expectancy, income distribution, and environmental impact.