Claims by Paul Krugman and others that European social democracy works tend to ignore an important fact in history (“The Fall of Europe,” Bret Stephens, PostScript, Aug. 21).

To the extent that it did work, it worked only because the United States was willing to use its own blood and treasure to guarantee European autonomy.

Thus, European nations, relieved of the burden of enormous military expenses, were free to devote their monies to social largesse.

And it won’t work here for that very reason. To whom can we Americans look to guarantee our autonomy?

Robert Palermo, West Orange, NJ