ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Everybody accepts that economic growth is the only sure way out of the financial mess that most developed countries are sitting in. And in order to get growth, it's necessary for at least some people to take a risk. What if they don't want to?

A survey commissioned by the E.U. asked citizens from the 27 Member States and elsewhere whether they would prefer to be self-employed or have a steady job. The results varied enormously, with an entrepreneurial percentage of just over 20% in Sweden compared with over 60% in China and more than 80% in Turkey. The average for the E.U. was around 40%.

Seen with Scandinavian eyes, the outcome is worrying. Because the four countries with the lowest proportion wishing to be self-employed were - in order - Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. It seems to be indeed true that the bigger the welfare state, the less likely one is to be entrepreneurial. That will make it harder for these countries to adapt and grow in the future.

Walter Blotscher