Comparing Western European countries with China, as the richest region in the world, the average number of hours worked per person in Western and Northern European economies is significantly lower than that of China at the same level of GDP per capita.
Germany and France are about 2,000 hours, the United Kingdom is about the same as us, and the lowest Denmark is only about 1,900 hours, which is about 7 hours a day3 hours. Of course, this was their working hours in the 1960s, and now they only have 1,400 hours a year. In East Asian countries, Japanese people work 500 hours less a year than Chinese. Japan's per capita national income last year exceeded $40,000, compared to China's 1$20,000.
The comparison between China and Western European countries in terms of economic development and quality of life often attracts attention. Western Europe, especially the Nordic countries, are known for their high benefits, high incomes, and a good work-life balance. In contrast, China is known for its rapid economic growth and large labor market. However, this contrast also reveals some socio-economic phenomena that deserve attention.
First, China's work culture is more tense than that of Western Europe. Working hours are long in China, especially in some highly competitive cities and businesses, where overtime has become the norm. This "996" work system (i.e., working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week) has sparked widespread discussion and controversy in China. In Western Europe, work-life balance is seen as more important, with working hours generally more flexible, paid time off and flexible working systems more common.
Second, despite the gap between China's GDP per capita and that of Western European countries, China is growing rapidly. China has achieved a huge economic leap in the past few decades, with hundreds of millions of people lifted out of poverty, rapid urbanization, and massive infrastructure construction and improvements. This rapid development has brought about tremendous social changes and new challenges, such as environmental pollution and unbalanced regional development.
In addition, China's social security system is gradually improving. With the development of the economy, China is increasing investment in education, medical care, pension and other social benefits to improve the quality of life of the people. However, compared with Western European countries, China's social security system still has a lot of room for improvement, which is also one of the priorities of China's future work.
At the cultural level, there are also differences between China and Western European countries. Traditional Chinese culture emphasizes industriousness and frugality, while Western European culture places more emphasis on individual freedom and pleasure. This cultural difference has affected work attitudes and life choices to a certain extent.
In general, there are differences between China and Western European countries in terms of economic development, work culture, social security, etc., and these differences reflect the characteristics of different countries at different stages of development. China is in a critical period of transformation and upgrading, facing the transformation from a labor-intensive industry to a technology-intensive, service-oriented economy.
With the further development of China's economy and the improvement of the social security system, people are expected to enjoy a more balanced work and life, as well as a higher level of quality of life. At the same time, China is also learning from the successful experiences of Western European countries in order to improve the people's living standards while maintaining economic vitality.
ps: We laugh at the West for not being able to endure hardship, and the West laughs at us for always suffering.Social variety