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>The American culture is very individualistic, especially compared to the German. I wouldn't rush to this conclusion. US billionaires usually run many charity

>The American culture is very individualistic, especially compared to the German. I wouldn't rush to this conclusion. US billionaires usually run many charity funds whereas German billionaires rarely do anything like that. Also, German businesses owners don't seem to mind exploiting people's health and the environment (VW emissions scandal) or foreign workers [1] if it makes them money, so I think the same issues that plague capitalism in the US (greed) affect Germany too. Otherwise, the wealth gap between rich and poor wouldn't be rising so steeply in Germany [2][3] if they wouldn't be so individualistic. [1]https://m.dw.com/en/germany-meat-industry-conditions/a-54033187 https://m.dw.com/en/germany-meat-industry-conditions/a-54033... [2]https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/german-expat-news/inheritance-and-coronavirus-are-increasing-wealth-inequality-germany https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/german-expat-news/inherit... [3]https://m.dw.com/en/study-shows-growing-wealth-inequality-in-germany/av-54412300 https://m.dw.com/en/study-shows-growing-wealth-inequality-in...

fh973 6y ago
You can generalize that: German government doesn't mind exploiting people's health and the environment, and prioritizes industry interests. Two current examples: the ongoing ignorance about ground water pollution [1], and the Diesel air pollution affair, which is far from being over [2]. [1] https://www.dw.com/en/eu-sues-germany-over-water-tainted-by-nitrate-fertilizer/a-19225653 https://www.dw.com/en/eu-sues-germany-over-water-tainted-by-... [2] https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/deutschland-und-welt/wirtschaft_artikel,-umwelthilfe-beklagt-hohe-abgase-bei-dieselpkw-_arid,2246531.html https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/deutschland-und-welt/wirtschaft... (no English source)
luckylion 6y ago
> I think the same issues that plague capitalism in the US (greed) affect Germany too. Definitely. It's a cultural thing, Germany (along with most Western countries) seems to follow the US in that regard. The individualism <=> collectivism scale is well studied, and there's a significant gap between the US and Germany. http://clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/individualism/ http://clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimension...

fh973 6y ago

You can generalize that: German government doesn't mind exploiting people's health and the environment, and prioritizes industry interests. Two current examples: the ongoing ignorance about ground water pollution [1], and the Diesel air pollution affair, which is far from being over [2]. [1] https://www.dw.com/en/eu-sues-germany-over-water-tainted-by-nitrate-fertilizer/a-19225653 https://www.dw.com/en/eu-sues-germany-over-water-tainted-by-... [2] https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/deutschland-und-welt/wirtschaft_artikel,-umwelthilfe-beklagt-hohe-abgase-bei-dieselpkw-_arid,2246531.html https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/deutschland-und-welt/wirtschaft... (no English source)

luckylion 6y ago

> I think the same issues that plague capitalism in the US (greed) affect Germany too. Definitely. It's a cultural thing, Germany (along with most Western countries) seems to follow the US in that regard. The individualism <=> collectivism scale is well studied, and there's a significant gap between the US and Germany. http://clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/individualism/ http://clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimension...