Major Issues
Eurozone Crash
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Germany is expected to bailout the other countries in the EU
Due to the financial crisis of the United States in 2008, the world’s economy started to grow more slowly. With slow growth comes less tax revenue, which makes high deficits unsustainable. Countries like Greece with high budget deficits did not make cuts to many of their governmental programs or social programs, to accommodate the lesser tax revenue. These countries could no longer hide or overlook their spending, which had become too large to overcome on its own (Greece spent 113% of the GDP).
In order to save Europe’s economy, a 100 billion Euro bailout was given to Greece to pay back debts and make deep budget cuts, most notably to pensions and public service pay. More of the countries which developed these spending issues and also required bailouts to save their economies.
Stronger countries like France, and more importantly Germany, have to pay for the bailouts, thus supporting the entire European economy. Because of this, the German economy is faltering to pay for all of the bailouts. Germans do not believe that they should have to pay and diminish their economy because they were not at fault. Because of the state of the economy, some countries in the EU are possibly looking to leave to avoid crisis. The picture to the left shows Europe breaking apart on a Euro coin, illustrating that the economy is breaking up the country.
With all of the recent news regarding some of the economies of countries in the European Union collapsing, the economically stronger countries, most notably Germany, have to bail out weaker countries. Most Germans believe that Germany should not be responsible for bailouts of the weak countries. Because of this idea, a new political party has been garnering some international attention recently. This party is called Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD calls joining the Euro a “fatal mistake” and it looks to exit the Euro. Although most political analysts do not expect Germans to vote AfD into the Bundestag, more than one in four Germans (26%) would be in favor of the new AfD according to a survey. The AfD says that it is unfair and undemocratic for Germany to pay for the cost of other countries’ mistakes.
In order to save Europe’s economy, a 100 billion Euro bailout was given to Greece to pay back debts and make deep budget cuts, most notably to pensions and public service pay. More of the countries which developed these spending issues and also required bailouts to save their economies.
Stronger countries like France, and more importantly Germany, have to pay for the bailouts, thus supporting the entire European economy. Because of this, the German economy is faltering to pay for all of the bailouts. Germans do not believe that they should have to pay and diminish their economy because they were not at fault. Because of the state of the economy, some countries in the EU are possibly looking to leave to avoid crisis. The picture to the left shows Europe breaking apart on a Euro coin, illustrating that the economy is breaking up the country.
With all of the recent news regarding some of the economies of countries in the European Union collapsing, the economically stronger countries, most notably Germany, have to bail out weaker countries. Most Germans believe that Germany should not be responsible for bailouts of the weak countries. Because of this idea, a new political party has been garnering some international attention recently. This party is called Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD calls joining the Euro a “fatal mistake” and it looks to exit the Euro. Although most political analysts do not expect Germans to vote AfD into the Bundestag, more than one in four Germans (26%) would be in favor of the new AfD according to a survey. The AfD says that it is unfair and undemocratic for Germany to pay for the cost of other countries’ mistakes.
Aging Population
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Germany has one of the oldest populations in the world
Germany has the fourth highest average age of all of its citizens in the world. This, coupled with a low birth rate, creates a problem because in the future there will be a shrinking workforce. The aging citizens will retire and collect social security and the younger, and much smaller, working class will have to pay.
Germany also has a high life expectancy for its citizens at around eighty years. With a retirement age of sixty-five, this requires that retired citizens receive fifteen years of support. In the future, the smaller workforce will have difficulty paying for social services.
An aging working population has been a subject of discussion of the German labor office. One proposed solution is to raise the retirement age from sixty-five years to sixty-seven years. This is set to be in place by 2029. Raising the retirement age would not only decrease the amount of retired citizens, but would also allow the government to collect social security tax for another two years to pay for the population over age sixty-five.
The German government is also trying to increase immigration among skilled workers to Germany. The immigrants would replace workers that are retiring because there are not enough new workers due to the low birth rate.
Germany also has a high life expectancy for its citizens at around eighty years. With a retirement age of sixty-five, this requires that retired citizens receive fifteen years of support. In the future, the smaller workforce will have difficulty paying for social services.
An aging working population has been a subject of discussion of the German labor office. One proposed solution is to raise the retirement age from sixty-five years to sixty-seven years. This is set to be in place by 2029. Raising the retirement age would not only decrease the amount of retired citizens, but would also allow the government to collect social security tax for another two years to pay for the population over age sixty-five.
The German government is also trying to increase immigration among skilled workers to Germany. The immigrants would replace workers that are retiring because there are not enough new workers due to the low birth rate.
Residual Guilt of World War II
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Guilt from the Holocaust still has impacts on German society
Even after World War II ended in a German defeat and the Jews were partially reconciled with the formation of Israel, most German felt a strong sense of guilt.
The Swastika is deeply associated with Nazi Germany and ingrained in the culture that the mere sight of the hateful symbol is offensive to most modern viewers. Though the Swastika has roots in early Hindu cultures, as a symbol of peace, it came to be misused and deeply associated with Adolph Hitler’s regime and his insistence on Aryan supremacy. The recognizable symbol evokes strong emotions in people, even today, many even calling for a banning of the symbol.
The use of the Swastika is banned in Germany and in 2007 there was a German proposal to ban the symbol across the entire European Union. The continued drama over the use of the Swastika as a symbol indicates that German guilt over their mistreatment of Jews in World War II remains today.
An association that fights anti-Semitism, Neo-Nazism, and other forms of bigotry is The Anti-Defamation League (ADL). It is an international organization founded in 1913 and based in the United States. One of many functions of the ADL is to sponsor events that remember the Holocaust and fight against Holocaust deniers. This is to ensure that this type of thing never happens again.
According to their website, the ADL “builds bridges of communication, understanding and respect.” Their Education Division especially helps combat a bias against any group, which should help with the guilt of survivors, friends, and relatives from the Second World War. The ADL helps ease the guilt of the war by helping to ensure that such awful acts do not happen again.
The Swastika is deeply associated with Nazi Germany and ingrained in the culture that the mere sight of the hateful symbol is offensive to most modern viewers. Though the Swastika has roots in early Hindu cultures, as a symbol of peace, it came to be misused and deeply associated with Adolph Hitler’s regime and his insistence on Aryan supremacy. The recognizable symbol evokes strong emotions in people, even today, many even calling for a banning of the symbol.
The use of the Swastika is banned in Germany and in 2007 there was a German proposal to ban the symbol across the entire European Union. The continued drama over the use of the Swastika as a symbol indicates that German guilt over their mistreatment of Jews in World War II remains today.
An association that fights anti-Semitism, Neo-Nazism, and other forms of bigotry is The Anti-Defamation League (ADL). It is an international organization founded in 1913 and based in the United States. One of many functions of the ADL is to sponsor events that remember the Holocaust and fight against Holocaust deniers. This is to ensure that this type of thing never happens again.
According to their website, the ADL “builds bridges of communication, understanding and respect.” Their Education Division especially helps combat a bias against any group, which should help with the guilt of survivors, friends, and relatives from the Second World War. The ADL helps ease the guilt of the war by helping to ensure that such awful acts do not happen again.
Discrimination
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The Berlin Wall separated East and West Berlin
After World War II, Germany was occupied by Great Britain, the Soviet Union, France, and the United States. The Soviet Union installed Communism into the portion of Germany that they occupied, while western occupying countries installed a Parliamentary Republic. West Germany became an economic power and the Communist East Germany became a country of great poverty.
Germany eventually reunified, but there are still some tensions between the Westerners and the Germans from the East because many people from the West believe that they are better than those from the East. The standards of living are still much higher in the West, and some Easterners resent that, believing West Germans are arrogant.
Germany has been reunified for over two decades but the old East Germans are still working to keep up with their Western counterparts. One group that follows the economics of the reunification is the Initiative New Social Market Economy (INSM). They are a lobbying group, which supports the free market economy in the old West Germany and so they are interested in ensuring that the old eastern states catch up.
A 2010 study found that wages are indeed catching up, lifestyles are becoming more similar and equilibrium is closer to being reached. The German government has also done its part to help the two states merge.
An annual day of celebration is held each year on October 3rd, and a solidarity tax was imposed to transfer billions of euros from the west to the east to help out the more fragile economy over the last twenty plus years.
Germany eventually reunified, but there are still some tensions between the Westerners and the Germans from the East because many people from the West believe that they are better than those from the East. The standards of living are still much higher in the West, and some Easterners resent that, believing West Germans are arrogant.
Germany has been reunified for over two decades but the old East Germans are still working to keep up with their Western counterparts. One group that follows the economics of the reunification is the Initiative New Social Market Economy (INSM). They are a lobbying group, which supports the free market economy in the old West Germany and so they are interested in ensuring that the old eastern states catch up.
A 2010 study found that wages are indeed catching up, lifestyles are becoming more similar and equilibrium is closer to being reached. The German government has also done its part to help the two states merge.
An annual day of celebration is held each year on October 3rd, and a solidarity tax was imposed to transfer billions of euros from the west to the east to help out the more fragile economy over the last twenty plus years.
Immigration
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Immigrants work for less money and take away
jobs from those born in Germany
There is a population boom in Germany urban areas. In the year 2012, Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, counted a net population gain of 300,000 immigrants. In other words, 300,000 more people came into the country than left it. Because many European countries economies are declining, many new laborers move to Germany where there is more opportunity and a strong economy. Greeks, Spaniards and Bulgarians are some of the most common immigrants.
Germans are not especially welcoming to immigrants because the immigrants work for less money and many Germans believe that the literacy rate of the country declines. The immigration process is not streamlined and immigrants must endure hours of waiting in lines, and going from office to office to fill out forms.
Officers at the Berlin Institute for Population and Development believe that Germany needs to foster a friendlier culture toward newcomers. Germans are often prejudiced, or worry that “outsiders” will take their jobs, and as a result immigrants often are segregated from the German born population. They argue that Germany needs well-qualified newcomers to keep the economy strong. Furthermore many of the migrants are professionals with families who need to be integrated as well. The Berlin Institute is pushing for more specialized language courses, tailored to specific industries. The medical and engineering fields, for example are industries in which higher levels of German speaking ability are definitely needed.
Germans are not especially welcoming to immigrants because the immigrants work for less money and many Germans believe that the literacy rate of the country declines. The immigration process is not streamlined and immigrants must endure hours of waiting in lines, and going from office to office to fill out forms.
Officers at the Berlin Institute for Population and Development believe that Germany needs to foster a friendlier culture toward newcomers. Germans are often prejudiced, or worry that “outsiders” will take their jobs, and as a result immigrants often are segregated from the German born population. They argue that Germany needs well-qualified newcomers to keep the economy strong. Furthermore many of the migrants are professionals with families who need to be integrated as well. The Berlin Institute is pushing for more specialized language courses, tailored to specific industries. The medical and engineering fields, for example are industries in which higher levels of German speaking ability are definitely needed.