Despite such growth, post-war Austrians feared a communist takeover of their key industries. To prevent this, their government used ERP funds to buy companies in the fields of mining, power, transportation, and banking. Sometimes, such nationalization paves the way for totalitarian rule. But not in Austria. Minimum wages, maximum hours, and paid vacations are regulated.
National programs provide education, medical, unemployment, and old-age benefits to all.
And the costs of these programs are shared by employers, workers, and government. Workers in its mining and lumber industries use high-tech tools. Its farmers devote an increasing amount of acreage to organic agriculture. Equally important to Austria's economy is its cultural wealth, which attracts millions of visitors yearly. Festivals resound with the music of Brahms, Haydn, and other composers.