The Germans: A Lot Like Us

摘要

GERMAN VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN. WE DON'T WANT TO BECOME Americans." That's how a senior German politician explained the recent election to me. And it's the conventional interpretation. Germans are said to have rejected the Christian Democrats' program of economic reform. And they did this despite overwhelming evidence—extremely low growth and high unemployment—that the economy needs restructuring. (Anything can be discredited these days by attaching the label "American" to it.) Reformist voices are quiet, and anti-globalization forces are gleeful. But the latter should put away their party hats. Germany is changing, and it will change no matter what the new government looks like.