• cygnus@lemmy.ca
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    4 months ago

    Good read, but damn the author really has it in for Germany. I think the case against them is greatly overstated.

    • aleph@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      How so? I think it’s quite an accurate summary. The German economy has been stagnating for a while, mainly due to its poorly handled transition towards an economy based on renewable energy. Their reliance on cheap Russian gas was shattered by the onset of the war in Ukraine, and their economic and political influence within the EU has been in steep decline ever since.

      • HobbitFoot @thelemmy.club
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        4 months ago

        Germany also has an economy that is most threatened by China’s increasing manufacturing prowess, both within the EU and outside of it.

        It is also becoming apparent that Merkel’s leadership was in just being able to maintain the status quo, something that Germany can’t do now.

      • lurch (he/him)@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        German economy has been stagnating for a while

        Germanies GDP went up every year since at least 2010, except 2020.

        Yes, before the war Germany also relied on russian gas and renewables, but also nuclear (mostly russian uranium) and its own coal.

        Germany acted fast though and it’s transition to 100% renewables is on track even despite the war.

    • sunzu@kbin.run
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      4 months ago

      Germans still have not come to terms that Merkel Geo politics was completed failiture and huge contributor to the detoriating security situation in Europe.

      It took a year into the war for Germany to finally step and provide proper backing to the afford to march its size and economic role in Europe.

      All of this despite being warned and advised the key allies these choices were not good for the alliance.

      Many people took notice of Germany’s bevhaior, actions have consequences. Esp when the blundering party was acting so smug about it.

      • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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        4 months ago

        Sure, but the article makes it seem almost malicious or deliberate, when my impression is that it’s simply good old German bureaucracy in action.

        • sunzu@kbin.run
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          4 months ago

          bureaucracy in action.

          That excuse is getting tiring. In tejas, we call that corruption while not malicious this behavior for profit results in the same outcome.

          German elites and industrial producers were driving policy at expense of their allies and esp fucked Ukraine here.

          Also, bureaucracy inherently ain’t a bad thing, shit needs admin. Captured bureaucracy working on behalf of interest groups is criminal but yet here we are.