Germany in the World: Is it time for Berlin to become a true global player?

[Insulaner]

Originally Posted by BTraven

The beginning of its end of cultural hegemony was the WWI. Travelling through Austria-Hungary would have meant getting to know many ethnics and cultures without crossing a border. With WWI the cosy times were finished though I have to admit that many people were suffering especially in countries where the Manchester capitalism was very strong. Watch Zille’s etchings and drawings. I think it was a heaven for successful bohemians, bildungsbuerger and the haute-bourgeoisie.

Even when Europe was ruling the world or at least thought it has the power Europe was far away from being a paradise. Poverty, hunger, wars and serfdom, unscrupulous aristocrats, antisemitism, racism; and endless list.
Already before the Manchester capitalism Europe was not a nice place to be. Dreaming of old Europe as Subverted seems to has got nothing to do with the reality.

Originally Posted by Subverted

Germany messed up Europe and put the USA into a position of power that it couldn't have obtained otherwise. The world can never be the same. I will never get to experience the real Europe before WW2. All I have now is this capitalist USA EU thing with Obama lovers and stupid Germans who are only interested in cliches with a monetary system called the Euro that looks suspiciously like the Deutsch Mark. England has wisely avoided adopting this retro-Prussian currency.

Of course life always was (and still is) more or less comfortable if you were rich and lucky enough to experience a peaceful period of time. I prefer Erope today, although it of course is far from being perfect.
Regards
Insulaner

Originally Posted by Insulaner

Even when Europe was ruling the world or at least thought it has the power Europe was far away from being a paradise. Poverty, hunger, wars and serfdom, unscrupulous aristocrats, antisemitism, racism; and endless list.
Already before the Manchester capitalism Europe was not a nice place to be. Dreaming of old Europe as Subverted seems to has got nothing to do with the reality.

Of course life always was (and still is) more or less comfortable if you were rich and lucky enough to experience a peaceful period of time. I prefer Erope today, although it of course is far from being perfect.
Regards
Insulaner

Europe Today is boringly moderate and too moderately American. Its like America without guns or fat people, Canada but with moderate abstract art. I prefer things to be more wild. I don't enjoy the community fascism of the nouveau riche. Once people experience a moderate improvement in living standards or peace, first thing they set up these fascist communities that stifle life with superficiality, and generally this new kind of retro community abhors eccentricity and doesn't look after its members. People are going to start rebelling soon because of this war in Afghanistan. Fake community can be in danger.

[BTraven]

Originally Posted by Insulaner

Even when Europe was ruling the world or at least thought it has the power Europe was far away from being a paradise. Poverty, hunger, wars and serfdom, unscrupulous aristocrats, antisemitism, racism; and endless list.
Already before the Manchester capitalism Europe was not a nice place to be. Dreaming of old Europe as Subverted seems to has got nothing to do with the reality.
Regards
Insulaner

You just confirm what I have written. It was by no means a perfect place for ordinary people to make a living. That era brought up fine art, nevertheless.

[BTraven]

Originally Posted by Subverted

Europe Today is boringly moderate and too moderately American. Its like America without guns or fat people, Canada but with moderate abstract art. I prefer things to be more wild. I don't enjoy the community fascism of the nouveau riche. Once people experience a moderate improvement in living standards or peace, first thing they set up these fascist communities that stifle life with superficiality, and generally this new kind of retro community abhors eccentricity and doesn't look after its members. People are going to start rebelling soon because of this war in Afghanistan. Fake community can be in danger.

“Boringly moderate” does not mean boringly mediocre therefore Europe can live with your assessment.

Originally Posted by BTraven

“Boringly moderate” does not mean boringly mediocre therefore Europe can live with your assessment.

Europe is so glorious, black haired Serbians standing in the snow. Illicit border crossings, no where left to go.

You have a passport, but what's it for? Europe is the norm; if you go there empty handed, you better submit the right form.

A kafkaesque wonderland, purse snatchings in the park. A man with a briefcase pisses on a tree, on his way home after dark.

New conservatives of the Brave Old World Europe, Euros in their hands, try to figure out ways to censor every man. We want to go back to the 1950's, forget your worldliness for now, just stand in line like a cow.

If you are still here and haven't had enough yet, next were going to censor the fucking internet. We say that its to stop child porn but really we just want to control. From Europe to the Australian Sun, lets go back to the 1950's and childishly imagine we are having fun. Everything is so pure, everything so clean, people are so ugly, people are so mean.

[muley63]

Excellent article in Time magazine about Germany's response to the Great Recession and tension in Europe.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...053595,00.html

[rkapo]

Yes - I as an Australian think it is time for Germany as the real Leader of Europe to use its influence on Global matters in a balanced way. The way you have been doing it all the time.
Not in the way the USA and Britain still tend to do.
Refer to my Post in.
Anti-Americanism in Germany: Justified Or Not?

[BTraven]

Originally Posted by rkapo

Yes - I as an Australian think it is time for Germany as the real Leader of Europe to use its influence on Global matters in a balanced way. The way you have been doing it all the time.
Not in the way the USA and Britain still tend to do.
Refer to my Post in.
Anti-Americanism in Germany: Justified Or Not?

It means either to export less or to import more goods. The last mentioned would be the best way to solve the problems.

[Inglenda2]

Many people, who are currently living in retirement, were employed from the age of 14/15 and worked until they were 65 years of age. Although, in Germany, only the the years from the seventeenth year of age are valid for pension purposes, this still means 48 years count for the calculation of retirement benefits.
The children of today start their school life, on average, two years later than during the 20th century and study much longer. They so have little chance of working 50 years before reaching retirement age. The whole problem therefore begins with an education system which starts too late. Add to this the often wasted, excessive time, spent in high schools and universities, which results in late entry into the employment market, in comparison with youths from other countries, and a lower rate of pension is predetermined
On the other hand, a situation exists where many pensioners are receiving net payments from the State, which are more than double the gross income of an average full time employee. It would therefore not be unjust to ask, whether it can it be right, for people who are doing nothing, to receive more, than those who work.
Unfortunately, current political traditions hinder rather than help an end to unfair status differences amongst retired persons within Germany. Those lucky enough to have received a high level of income during their years of employment, continue to do so in the years following. This results in completely different standards of living between two citizens, both of whom no longer work.
Possibly one answer to the problem of lower pensions, would be to restrict the maximum level of such payments. This would in no way stop persons in the higher income brackets from privately securing an income in their old age, but it would at least enable a minimum income for those who had been unable to afford arrangements for a private pension.

[ferrukhmir]

Originally Posted by daryl_lindsey

Until recently, postwar Germany took a backstage role in many international issues. With reunification, German foreign policy has become more assertive, with German troops stationed on peacekeeping missions from the Balkans to Afghanistan. Are the recent questions over Germany's role in intelligence gathering with the CIA part of this normalization?

By the end of 2012, it is first time that Germany has surpassed the fine line of U.S exports level,it is a great land mark for the Germany.Now it is right time for Germany to revisit its global role and foreign policy. Until now Germany has been playing a low profile role of U.S partner in NATO.Reasons for this strategy could be traced through history of US-Germany relations which have never been smooth especially through 20th century.Germany's role in global politics especially post USSR era has not been constructive one. For example German intelligence completely knew that 9/11 was U.S inside job even then Germany sent its troops in Afghanistan as part of NATO,where they killed innocent Afghans through air and ground raids.Secondly Germany knew that Iraq didn't had weapons of mass destruction and again joined US led NATO forces to over run Iraq similar to Afghanistan. It is also a fact that Germany remained at low profile in Afghanistan and Iraq during military operations.It is also a fact that Germany facilitated US led NATO, to negotiate with Taliban by hosting peace conference in Germany and this became possible because Taliban knew that Germany's role was not as hostile toward Taliban compared to rest of NATO countries.
Now U.S is a declining power economically and Germany is rising economic super power whose global interest are multidimensional.This scenario demands an assertive and positive role by Germany in global affairs for the sake of global peace.