Uber Alles? Not So Fast!

Bongiovanni, Francesco M.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-74370-7_8

Francesco M. Bongiovanni²

344 Accesses

Abstract

A pillar of rectitude, stability and a star performer, Germany is not all that it seems. Its economy has structural weaknesses. It assumed the moral high ground in the Greek crisis yet Deutschbank and Volkswagen are spectacular examples of two iconic German companies caught cheating on a world scale. The mantle of leader of Europe has fallen on it but Germany has by and large promoted its own narrow self-interest, often to the detriment of its European partners. Following the autumn 2017 elections, a new element of political uncertainty and instability entered Germany’s political scene. At a time when Europe needs to embrace courageous reforms, the only thing that may be worse than a strong Germany is a weak Germany.

Why Germany is not all that it seems and can’t lead Europe

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

eBook: USD 19.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Softcover Book: USD 29.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

1.
Rainer Buergin. ‘Germany’s Success Could Wreck Martin Schulz’s Bid for Power’. Bloomberg.com – Bloomberg. 16 August 2017.
2.
‘USA/dieselgate: peine de prison pour un ex-ingénieur de Volkswagen’. Lefigaro.fr – Le Figaro. 25 August 2017.
3.
‘USA: Volkswagen rappelle 281.000 voitures’. Lefigaro.fr – Le Figaro. 29 August 2017.
4.
Oliver Sachgau. ‘Merkel Cites ‘Trust’ Problem With German Carmakers’. Bloomberg.com . 9 September 2017.
5.
Michelle Fitzpatrick. ‘Les mensonges de l’automobile au coeur de la campagne électorale allemande’. France24.com . 15 August 2017.
6.
Oliver Sachgau. ‘Merkel Cites ‘Trust’ Problem With German Carmakers’’. Bloomberg.com . 9 September 2017.
7.
Ben Protess, Jack Ewing. ‘Deutsche Bank to Pay $2.5 Billion Fine to Settle Rate-Rigging Case’. Nytimes.com – The New York Times. 23 April 2015.
8.
Arno Schuetze. ‘Deutsche Bank to fight $14 billion demand from US authorities’. Reuters.com – Reuters. 16 September 2016.
9.
Jack Ewing. ‘Deutsche Bank Announces $7 Billion Yearly Loss as Legal Issues Weigh on Results’. Nytimes.com – The New York Times. 20 January 2016.
10.
‘Deutsche Bank prepares 8 billion-euro capital increase’. Reuters.com – Reuters. 3 March 2017.
11.
L. Shapiro, Lili Bayer. ‘Signs of Trouble for Deutsche Bank’. Geopoliticalfutures.com . 1 July 2016.
12.
Mark Thompson, Paul R. La Monica. ‘Deutsche Bank: Does it need a bailout?’. Money.cnn.com . 30 September 2016.
13.
J.C. ‘Explaining the Munich miracle. On almost every indicator, Germany’s south is doing better than its north’. The Economist. 20 August 2017.
14.
‘The beautiful south. Germany’s new divide’. The Economist. 19 August 2017.
15.
Rida Husna. ‘Germany GDP growth rate’. Tradingeconomics.com . 15 August 2017.
16.
Mathilde Golla, Clémentine Maligorne. ‘Sous Merkel, l’économie allemande s’est imposée comme moteur de l’Europe’. Lefigaro.fr – Le Figaro. 24 September 2017.
17.
Dr. Philip Ehmer. ‘Labour productivity of large euro area countries drifts apart – Italy falling behind’. Kfw.de . 26 July 2016.
18.
‘Why Angela Merkel deserves to win Germany’s election’. Economist.com – The Economist. 9 September 2017.
19.
‘The Germany that doesn’t work’. The Economist. Page 25. 17 June 2017.
20.
J.C. ‘German politics is about to tip rightwards’. Economist.com – The Economist. 17 September 2017.
21.
Estelle Peard. ‘Dans la Ruhr, la désespérance des travailleurs allemands pauvres’. AFP. 11 May 2017.
22.
Mathilde Golla, Clémentine Maligorne. ‘Sous Merkel, l’économie allemande s’est imposée comme moteur de l’Europe’. Lefigaro.fr – Le Figaro. 24 September 2017.
23.
‘How Angela Merkel is changing, and not changing, Germany’. Economist.com – The Economist. 9 September 2017.
24.
Johanna Scbuster-Craig. ‘Angela Merkel, Donald Trump and the free world: is the stage set for a strong German leader to eclipse America?’. Newsweek.com – Newsweek. 11 July 2017.
25.
Jacob Heilbrunn. ‘Will Pax Germania replace Pax Americana?’. Latimes.com – Los Angeles Times. 9 February 2017.
26.
Johanna Scbuster-Craig. ‘Angela Merkel, Donald Trump and the free world: is the stage set for a strong German leader to eclipse America?’. Newsweek.com – Newsweek. 11 July 2017.
27.
‘Many NATO Countries Reluctant to Use Force to Defend Allies.’ Pewglobal.org . 8 June 2015.
28.
‘Germany rebukes Tillerson over call for Nato allies to boost defense spending’. Theguardian.com – The Guardian. 31 March 2017.
29.
‘Military spending by NATO members’. Economist.com – The Economist. 16 February 2017.
30.
Elizabeth Braw. ‘Germany Is Quietly Building a European Army Under Its Command’. Foreignpolicy.com – Foreign Policy. 22 May 2017.
31.
Doug Bandow. ‘Is Germany Serious About Defending Itself, Europe, And The West? Time For Europeans To Run NATO’. Forbes.com – Forbes. 2 May 2017.
32.
Rick Noack. ‘Afraid of a major conflict? The German military is currently unavailable’. Washingtonpost.com , Washington Post. 24 January 2018.
33.
Doug Bandow. ‘Is Germany Serious About Defending Itself, Europe, And The West? Time For Europeans To Run NATO’. Forbes.com . Forbes. 2 May 2017.
34.
Gabriela Baczynska. ‘Defense spending by European NATO allies inches up in 2016’. Reuters. 13 March 2017.
35.
‘Germany rebukes Tillerson over call for Nato allies to boost defense spending’. Theguardian.com . The Guardian. 31 March 2017.
36.
Zeeshan Aleem. ‘The epic Trump-Merkel feud, explained’. Vox.com . 1 June 2017.
37.
Elizabeth Braw. ‘Germany Is Quietly Building a European Army Under Its Command’. Foreignpolicy.com – Foreign Policy. 22 May 2017.
38.
Jefferson Chase. ‘German, French defense ministers talk new European security force’. Dw.com – Deutsche Welle. 1 June 2017.
39.
‘Surplus war’. The Economist. Page 20. 11 February 2017; Alexandre Devecchio. ‘Les Français ne se sont pas prononcés pour une politique européiste’. Le Figaro. Page 20. 29 September 2017.
40.
‘Italie: son chien est malade, elle obtient des congés’. Lefigaro.fr – Le Figaro. 12 October 2017.
41.
Matthias Mattijs. ‘The West Should Hope That Merkel Loses’. Foreignpolicy.com – Foreign Policy. 21 December 2016.
42.
J.C. ‘German politics is about to tip rightwards’. Economist.com – The Economist. 17 September 2017.
43.
Frida Ghitis. ‘We can say goodbye to a stable Germany’. Cnn.com . 25 September 2017.
44.
J.C. ‘German politics is about to tip rightwards’. Economist.com – The Economist. 17 September 2017.
45.
Frida Ghitis. ‘We can say goodbye to a stable Germany’. Cnn.com . 25 September 2017.
46.
Paul Hockenos. ‘Germany Has Plunged Into Unprecedented Political Chaos’. Foreign Policy. 20 November 2017.
47.
Enrico Letta. ‘‘Pour l’Europe, on est dans l’avant-match’’. France Inter. 18 September 2017.
48.
Paul Hockenos. ‘Europe will pay a high price for Germany’s paralysis’. Cnn.com . 29 November 2017.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

http://www.francescobauthor.com
Francesco M. Bongiovanni

Authors

Francesco M. Bongiovanni
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bongiovanni, F.M. (2018). Uber Alles? Not So Fast!. In: Europe and the End of the Age of Innocence. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74370-7_8

Download citation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74370-7_8
Published: 27 March 2018
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74369-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74370-7
eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics