Lenox

According to a recent study, we have 445,568 working politicians in Spain (i.e. those working in political posts), almost the double of the next highest country Italy and 300,000 more than the Germans can manage.
Something to be proud of?

cricketman

I'm not sure what that data is telling me...

What is meant by poilitician? Obviously not all those 400,000 were voted in

Secondly, the Spanish state still owns and runs a number of companies which boosts those numbers. They are going to be selling these off in these times of austerity which I'm not sure is a good thing

amideislas

I reckon it's the result of previous socialist control. In general the philosophy is to put more authority over daily life in the hands of government, which obviously requires more government. Unfortunately, despite the government having the authority, responsibility is typically deflected elsewhere. The public ends up in the middle somewhere, with none of the authority or the responsibility.

cricketman

Any proof? Maybe you could tell me how many so-called politicians were employed in the Aznar years as a comparison?

The PP have boosted the number of consultants employed by the government even though they criticized the number that the PSOE had

It is very difficult comparing numbers by country as we are not comparing like for like. In Spain for example you can get state help to promote your brand overseas, they will even travel with you to help you sell it. Dont think they offer that in other countries

Domino

are you suggesting Consultants are Politicians ??

this sort of study is as usual biased and not "playing on a level playing field".

Relampago

I don't know how politicians there is in Spain, is the first time I read it. If so, it is a shame, but I (and I assume most people) I have no shame why. I did not choose this politic system. I also believe that there are many officials. too

Yes, Italy has half the politicians, but for Italy it is scary, because they charge millions. Their salaries are exaggerated, even crisis in the country. If in Spain they have privileges, is a pantomime compared to what is happening in Italy

Of course, when I say of Italy, I'm not justifying whatever happens in Spain. For my part, they can go to hell

The true politician is the mayor o councilman of a tiny town (as a village, for example) who knows all his neighbors and knows the problems of the place, because also feels and suffers problems of this place. The rest, is filthiness that has nothing to do with the problems of people. And I think this happens in Spain and in any other country. But is my personal opinion

Domino

so the UK seems to have less "politicians" but then many have been employed within Quango's and private organisations with responsibility for (only) political matters.

perhaps it is a good thing that Spain has all its politicians identified, other countries hide them under the carpet.

cricketman

A very good point

When I worked in London it seemed that every other person I bumped into was working for a Quango with a 6 figure salary. All paid for indirectly by the tax payer.

1 billion pounds of tax payers money was spent employing consultants to investigate a new IT system for the NHS. Their conclusion... it will be too expensive to build one

Dick Dasterdly

So nice to see Cameron and co knocking many of them on the head.
They've been his pet hate for many a day, most of them pointless, wasteful creations of Brown and co.

amideislas

Another result of liberal idealism. The lefties tend to believe that citizens are like children who must be protected from themselves. So, the government is burdened with managing and regulating more and more aspects of life for them, shifting more and more responsibility from the individual to the government, which naturally requires more government.

And we all know that government employees are the most experienced and knowlegeable about everything... and how well the government handles responsibility...

Idealism is great. That's why we have so much of it. Unfortunately, idealism too oft dismisses reality, and when you mix reality with fantasy, reality has a funny way of unexpectedly setting things straight.

"Reality works in mysterious ways".

HBG

With all these comparisons between different countries in Europe, I wonder if the differences are not because of historical, political or similar reasons, but simply one of climate?

Of course the laid-back Spaniard is more relaxed than the frozen Finn. The Scots have been so battered by heavy rain that all they want to do is fight. Against anyone, or among themselves if there if no one else around.

The French have it all, including their beautiful Mediterranean coast, why should they want to fight anyone?

And the big Satan, Germany? They're stuck in the middle and need more Lebensraum, an Autobahn to take them straight to their bit of the Mediterranean. But they don't have a bit of the southern coast of Europe. They will if they buy Greece.

I reckon it's all down to the sun, all of it.

jackytoo

Most of France has the same sort of weather as the UK

HBG

If you took the people out of Provence, I would prefer it to Sussex.

Domino

there used to be a Civil Service Computer Consultancy based in Norwich IIRC, used to be a small time customer many years ago so why do they have to pay "independent" consultants to do their work for them.?

interesting that Spain appears to have what the UK NHS seems incapable of getting. But then the UK seems to want to have something different all the time and not learn from others. Places like Oz, Kiwiland have systems in place for NHS, even the ID card, but not the UK - they just spend a decade and the obligatory £1billion before deciding the job is too big and costly.

Domino

just a small amendment