German Symbols

Came across this article via the editor of econintersect.com and thought I’d bring it to others attention.

Number one, remember how Germany was chiding the rest of Europe about meeting ‘austerity goals’?

If not see here.

And now there’s this article that sounds like it’s describing the U.S. Like these excerpts:

“It’s a paradox: At a time when the economic elites in the United States and Great Britain are turning to Germany’s recipes for industrial success as role models, the social structure in Germany is increasingly moving in the direction of a three-class society. This is a fundamental shift for a social market economy whose policies have long been aimed at ensuring that the country’s prosperity is fairly distributed to all echelons of society. That system now appears to be eroding fast.

These days, it is executives, with their compensation skyrocketing into the millions, who are at the top. The second tier consists of the well-trained and reasonably well-paid legions of white-collar and skilled workers in modern information and industrial societies. Bringing up the rear are professional groups that were once considered part of the core of the traditional working world: salespeople, cooks, waiters and teachers, for example, who often earn less now than they did a decade ago.

In his inaugural speech, Germany’s new president, Joachim Gauck, praised his country for “bringing together social justice, participation and opportunities for advancement.” But Germans, the president warned, should not accept “people having the impression that advancement is out of their reach despite their every endeavor.”

Sound familiar? As I’m fond of saying “All governments lie”.

Full article here.

Oh, and these links re the image you might find interesting:

“By 1899, Bayer was producing about a ton of heroin a year, and exporting the drug to 23 countries. The country where it really took off was the US, where there was already a large population of morphine addicts, a craze for patent medicines, and a relatively lax regulatory framework. ”

113 years later and U.S. culture is essentially still the same – or so it seems to me.

“Although Daimler-Benz is best known for its Mercedes-Benz automobile brand, during World War II it also created a notable series of aircraft, tank, and submarine engines. Daimler also produced parts for German arms, most notably barrels for the Mauser rifle. During World War II Daimler-Benz employed slave labour. The slaves “toiled eighteen hours a day; cowering under the lash, sleeping six to a dog kennel eight feet square, starving or freezing to death at the whim of their guards.”

But the Mercedes Benz cars ARE nice cars if one can afford them.