Hacker News Reader

Comment by galactus | Hacker News Reader

France is one of most productive countries in the world, when measured as GDP per hour-worked:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP...

Right, but that is partly or wholly because French unemployment is higher than it is in the US with the result that the less productive workers do not have jobs and consequently are not included in the statistic. If we use a different statistic, namely, GDP per capita, France is significantly lower than the US.

I dont think the unemployment affects the stats that much but anyway the US has a higher GDP per capita and higher GDP per hour worked than France. I was just replying to the common stereotype that France is significatively less productive than other european countries (say, Germany).

Another fact that contradicts that stereotype is France's position as a recipient of foreign direct investment:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_received_F...

Why would people invest so much in a supposedly "lazy" country?

GDP per capita doesn't track unemployment either. France isn't 'significantly' lower than the US either it is about where Germany is and Britain is far behind them both.

That could be due to the diminishing returns of working longer hours after a certain point. They work fewer hours, so are more productive per hour, but sacrifice overall production to do so.

What's up with Norway there...?!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com