Germany: Reformist and Socially Harmonious

That’s what we are, writes the Economist (January 30, page 16).  Other European countries who wanted both social cohesion and economic competitiveness should either follow our example – or Ireland’s, if they are in dire straits.

Praise from the Economist is usually a dubious blessing, unless you are collecting Rolex watches. But if such a market-ideological paper acknowledges that there maybe a way to combine the best of two worlds – competitiveness and fairness -, it seems to mean something.

So I’m a bit proud of my country this week – and proud of a former government that deserves better ratings, at least retroactively.

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Probably not what Willy Brandt imagined, September 28, 2009