Beware, the Krauts are coming (once again)!

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Freiwillige

Texans are Texans and Germans are Germans. And some Texans were Germans!

Germans are engineers and I would have thought that they would have just engineered a unified Germany by now. If East Germany lacks development then by god, Develop it! Its a win, win situation. The east gets jobs the west get new industrial ground.

Maybe I am just too dern American to wrap my head around this.

Germans are engineers. That is like saying Americans are cowboys.

Some Germans are good engineers, but their knowledge since long is copied in other nations as well. and while some americans are cowboys indeed, other countries have farmers and cattle as well.

Economic realities were a bit harsher, we found out, than people 20 years ago imagined. not everything is possible to be realised in a desired way, just because it is wanted. The state cannot construct an economic system , he can only define and offer the framework in whioch economy unfolds. If the reality that is to be met is such that the framework of rules and defintions and invitations it offers does not attract investors and businessmen, then you cannot just wish it different. And this so far has been compensated, with varying success, by tremendous, incredible cashflow from West to East. Which is the reason why these stellar ammounts of money are not available for other purposes.

Reunification has proven to be hilariously expensive. they economic payoff from the effort do not compensate the investements, and it cannot be seen when it will do in the future. The better question is if it ever will do.

What is the richest state of the union? Texas? Maybe, I don't know for sure. Now compare it to let's say Montana, which I just learned is one of the poorest and economically most difficult terrains in the US (just have read a long piece of analysis and descriptionn about it that formed a whole long chapter in a book). Maybe the difference between the two states is not like the one between East and West Germans, neither in quality nor quantity, it is probably worse in Germany, but nevertheless - structural deficits and differences inside your system you have in the US, too. and lie us, you cannot just wish them away.