How Generous Are You During Christmas?

Here is a chart from the Economist which compares the income per capita adjusted for purchasing power of a selected group of countries against the amount that they spend on Christmas gifts.

The positive correlation is clear. The countries to note would be the outliers. The Netherlands appear to be the scrooge among the lot. With an income per capita that is almost at the same level as that in Switzerland and the US, the people in the Netherlands are anticipated to spend about only a seventh of those two countries.

Meanwhile, Luxembourg also appears to be spending below the trend given its income level. But it should be noted that the people of Luxembourg still spend the most among the countries shown.

Souce: The Economist

Biggest Employers in the World

The Pot calling the Kettle black.

Is Democracy An Economic Liability?

A question many of us would not ask 10-20 years ago. But as we witness the slow death of some of the Western democracies, and the rapid rise of China, I think this question will become a huge debate topic in the next 50 years or so.

Read here for some thoughts from The Economist.