Good post!

One of your best, I think...

This deserves more time and thought than I am able to give it right now, but I will share with you the thoughts I have and the direction I will initially take as I ponder the question Ryan asks...

More than 35% of modern Europe was raised under Soviet-era communism. This is no excuse, but it might lend an explanation for the propensity (if not out-right dependence) on "big" government.

The process by which east and west were "merged" into simply Europe since 1990 has made for MASSIVE efforts on the part of governments from the English Channel to the Volga River, and as much of these efforts have worked, it reinforces the perception that government can fix anything.

Nearly 50% of Europe no longer remembers the threats posed by the Soviet-controlled Warsaw Pact as a fact of daily life, but all are living the benefits of only mildly-socialist democratic republicanism. All have a parlimentary system of government that lends itself to "party" affiliation far more strongly than we do here in the States... and these parties maintain control (in most cases) within massive multi-party election systems, where the only manner a party can gain and hold control is to deliver on promises very nearly ALWAYS in the short-term.

Off to run errands... more later...

Good post!