Germany is root cause to the EUropean Crisis.. (life, cost, country)
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I found a good piece of comment from a German in a website; SchumannGermany
--My two cents: Being a German employee myself, I can tell you how the self-righteous German government and the even prouder German companies have generated an edge over their European competitors. It is in fact very simple: They have disregarded EU regulations on a large scale; they have cheated on their own employees; they have conned their own fellow-citizens. And still do so. Just three examples:
1) While all other European countries – including even Britain – now adhere to the EU regulation concerning equal pay and equal treatment for temporary agency workers, the German government simply does not honour this rule and has found a quasi-legal workaround. The German government closes its eyes to the standard practice of German temp agencies tricking its own citizens – and many foreign workers – into signing work contracts including a waiver on the EU’s equal pay and equal treatment directive. The low wages of temp agency workers (approx. 35 – 45 percent below average in Germany!) have not only driven down Germany’s unit labour costs and thus miraculously increased its competitive trade advantage, but were also used to threaten permanent staff to behave docile and to put pressure on the German trade unions so as to bring down wages in general. This is the Pudels Kern (the gist of the matter) of the miraculous German competitive advantage: A fair swindle. While this cheat is now coming under increased scrutiny finally, the latest trend goes to – formally – outsource whole business divisions into (underpaid) service companies (which in itself is nothing to write home about), without, however, altering the command structure or even the physical job location. Different method, same results: lower German wages, cheaper products, higher exports, increased competitive advantage over other euro countries, diminished stability of the common currency.
2) In contrast to most other European countries Germany still does not have a general minimum-wage scheme. While it is, in theory, a legitimate political decision not to have one, most euro countries have introduced minimum-wage schemes in order to avoid seeing wages fall below subsistence level. This exactly, however, is happening in Germany as a practical consequence of not having such a directive, with gross wages falling as low as 4 euro per hour. The result of the missing minimum-wage policy is, of course, that Berlin (read: German taxpayers and employees) has to subsidize more and more of Germany’s underpaid – mostly temp agency – employees: their wages; their social security contributions; their employers; their products! And thus, in turn, it makes German taxpayers and German employees subsidize their own exports, e.g. to more profligate (read: humane) mediterranean euro countries, increasing regional trade imbalances and destabilizing the euro.
3) Whereas many countries, including even India, for instance, assist their citizens in coping with high energy and gas costs, Germany does not only tax energy to a high proportion, but even goes so far – be it the companies’ or be it the government’s idea – as to make private German citizens actually pay for the electricity bills of German companies and corporations, thus, again, subsidizing German exports, increasing Germany’s competitive advantage, creating asymmetric trade balances inside the euro zone and, you know it already, destabilizing the common currency.
And there you go: Greece has cheated, Germany has cheated. Both have violated genuine EU rules, the former one more in the legal sense, the latter one more in the real sense – and much more efficiently. While Greece has triggered the European sovereign crisis, Germany has caused it. That’ll be euro 4 trillion. --
Reading that really gives one an idea of the other side of the coin, Germany's thirst for hardcore export, export & more export, low wage, tax payer subsidization of business, high government taxes and minimum consumption..
And Germany doesn't even have a legal minimum wage, there are plenty of 1-euro/Hr jobs in Germany!
Last edited by Vichel; 05-30-2012 at 01:28 PM..
Reason: Added lines to improve readability
What's up with you and your attitude towards Germany? I bet you came across a couple of Germans who weren't very nice to you.
Without having read all of the above: Most contracts in Germany are negotiated between unions and employers, so no need for a general minimum wage. Some businesses do have minimum wages set by the government. There are NOT plenty of 1EUR/hr jobs. Those are programs intended for unemployed people who receive state benefits to help them integrate into a normal work-life again. Mostly it's jobs that wouldn't exist at all if it weren't for those programs, for example sitting at a high school copier. And, of couse, the 1 EUR/hr goes on TOP of the unemployment benefits.
Not sure about all your claims, it is true that germany subsidises the electricity costs of larger corperations.
There are minimum wages for most trades and a general minimum wage is being discused and will probably become reality.
Temp job problem is worlwide.
The 1 Euro job program is supposed to get long term jobless used to working. These are normaly community service jobs maintaining the local kindergarten and stuff likie that. The 1 euro workers are all reciving full benifits which include all housing costs paid by there unemployment.
You do realize that Germany has one of the worlds highest standards of living?
I live much better here than I ever did in the US. I even have health insurance and some job security which I never had in California. Even If you lose everything you will never be Homeless or hungry here. What is your problem with Germany.
I found a good piece of comment from a German in a website; SchumannGermany
--My two cents: Being a German employee myself, I can tell you how the self-righteous German government and the even prouder German companies have generated an edge over their European competitors. It is in fact very simple: They have disregarded EU regulations on a large scale; they have cheated on their own employees; they have conned their own fellow-citizens. And still do so. Just three examples:
1) While all other European countries – including even Britain – now adhere to the EU regulation concerning equal pay and equal treatment for temporary agency workers, the German government simply does not honour this rule and has found a quasi-legal workaround. The German government closes its eyes to the standard practice of German temp agencies tricking its own citizens – and many foreign workers – into signing work contracts including a waiver on the EU’s equal pay and equal treatment directive. The low wages of temp agency workers (approx. 35 – 45 percent below average in Germany!) have not only driven down Germany’s unit labour costs and thus miraculously increased its competitive trade advantage, but were also used to threaten permanent staff to behave docile and to put pressure on the German trade unions so as to bring down wages in general. This is the Pudels Kern (the gist of the matter) of the miraculous German competitive advantage: A fair swindle. While this cheat is now coming under increased scrutiny finally, the latest trend goes to – formally – outsource whole business divisions into (underpaid) service companies (which in itself is nothing to write home about), without, however, altering the command structure or even the physical job location. Different method, same results: lower German wages, cheaper products, higher exports, increased competitive advantage over other euro countries, diminished stability of the common currency.
2) In contrast to most other European countries Germany still does not have a general minimum-wage scheme. While it is, in theory, a legitimate political decision not to have one, most euro countries have introduced minimum-wage schemes in order to avoid seeing wages fall below subsistence level. This exactly, however, is happening in Germany as a practical consequence of not having such a directive, with gross wages falling as low as 4 euro per hour. The result of the missing minimum-wage policy is, of course, that Berlin (read: German taxpayers and employees) has to subsidize more and more of Germany’s underpaid – mostly temp agency – employees: their wages; their social security contributions; their employers; their products! And thus, in turn, it makes German taxpayers and German employees subsidize their own exports, e.g. to more profligate (read: humane) mediterranean euro countries, increasing regional trade imbalances and destabilizing the euro.
3) Whereas many countries, including even India, for instance, assist their citizens in coping with high energy and gas costs, Germany does not only tax energy to a high proportion, but even goes so far – be it the companies’ or be it the government’s idea – as to make private German citizens actually pay for the electricity bills of German companies and corporations, thus, again, subsidizing German exports, increasing Germany’s competitive advantage, creating asymmetric trade balances inside the euro zone and, you know it already, destabilizing the common currency.
And there you go: Greece has cheated, Germany has cheated. Both have violated genuine EU rules, the former one more in the legal sense, the latter one more in the real sense – and much more efficiently. While Greece has triggered the European sovereign crisis, Germany has caused it. That’ll be euro 4 trillion. --
Reading that really gives one an idea of the other side of the coin, Germany's thirst for hardcore export, export & more export, low wage, tax payer subsidization of business, high government taxes and minimum consumption..
And Germany doesn't even have a legal minimum wage, there are plenty of 1-euro/Hr jobs in Germany!
I really do hate asking obvious questions, but I can't help it. What's your point?
The poor Germans? Look at the HDI index... they're at #9 out of 150+. They are much, much better off than 99% of this planet.
Not sure if that's what you were saying..if not, uh, whatever.
Last edited by Vichel; 05-30-2012 at 01:29 PM..
Reason: Acted on your suggestion that the OP was difficult to read due to lack of paragraphs.
No american i have ever met in germany was happy to go back to the states. We pay lots of taxes and much for gas, electricity and and and . But our Country ( i am talking from germany, not greece, spain or others) works! The government does a great work, even in this hard times for the EU.
Employees do not have to apply for low paid jobs if they dont want. But if you do a low paid job, and you`re good, you will get better money after a while.
Germany is not the cause of the crisis, but has a lot of guilt for the current situation in Southern Europe.
Merkozy and their paranoia with the deficit have destroyed Greece, Spain and Portugal, and is on track to do with Italy.
The PIIGS can mainly blame themselves. The U.S. is no stranger to subsidizing either. Link.
The minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25 (federal) / €5.85. In 2007, 3.7m German workers earned under €7 ($9) an hour and 1.2m under €5, according to The Economist.
The PIIGS can mainly blame themselves. The U.S. is no stranger to subsidizing either. Link.
The minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25 (federal) / €5.85. In 2007, 3.7m German workers earned under €7 ($9) an hour and 1.2m under €5, according to The Economist.
The OP seems to have a grudge against Germans.
I don't really see how his quote "accuses" Germany of being responsible for the Euro dilemma. If anything, he's saying Germany was too successful and that, in turn, hurt Greece. But that's only speculation on my part.
I don't really see how his quote "accuses" Germany of being responsible for the Euro dilemma. If anything, he's saying Germany was too successful and that, in turn, hurt Greece. But that's only speculation on my part.
Have you read the title: "Germany is root cause to the EUropean Crisis."
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