Quote:
Originally Posted by Damien
The attitude towards the Germans is really unfair however. A lot of people seem to be basing it on German's past history. If this is the case then Britain itself has a pretty mixed record when it comes to invading, dominating and oppressing the people of other countries.
What is happening is quite simple. A number of countries spent considerably outside what they could afford and they need a bailout because of the wider economic climate and problems specific to the Eurozone. Germany, whose own economy is threatened by these countries going under, are the largest contributors to giving these countries significant amounts of money. When they give these money they want assurances that it will be used to prevent the crisis and not to prop up a failing system for a few more months.
Yet the people protest against Germany for imposing those restrictions. The answer is simple, don't take their money. This is like you giving your neighbour money to keep their house and then them calling you everything under the sun because you won't let it be spent on another other than the mortgage.
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Yes in some ways it is, which is why I wrote "
rightly or wrongly". History is littered with examples of extremists who've unfairly but successfully blamed others for all their ills.
Having said that Chris is right to point out that the German economy has done very nicely out of having a currency which is much lower than the DM would have been. I think it's fair to argue then that the Germans haven't been acting entirely selflessly in bailing out the lazy men of Europe. The constraints of the Euro have suited their economic needs very nicely thanks and at the expense of poorer countries.
In matters such as these we can argue about who's right and who's wrong but it's public perception which matters in the end and if enough people start blaming the Germans for all their ills and the German public for example demanding harsher measures in return for assistance we could all be in for big trouble.