Based on longitudinal data in the dimensions of state, economy and society it is analyzed to what extent European societies have certain features in common which distinguish them from the United States. For most social indicators the range of variation within the European Union is bigger than the gap between Europe and the U.S. Differences between countries with different institutional arrangements persist. In terms of employment and growth dynamics Scandinavian nations, which have similarly extended welfare states as Continental European countries, have performed similarly well as the Anglo-Saxon countries. Hence there are not only different social models in Europe, but also different pathways to success.
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