That is not the argument people are stating. First, the problem is how absurdly low the wages have fallen in Germany compared with the 'productivity' gains lea

That is not the argument people are stating. First, the problem is how absurdly low the wages have fallen in Germany compared with the 'productivity' gains leading to highly profitable exports. Second, a problem seams to be as well how Germany was actually ignoring the fact that it is a part of a larger interconnected economy. Both problems are already discussed at quite global / high levels and are tackled by institutions more proficient with these issues than the "schwäbische-hausfrau" who tends to be quite proud of _efficiency_ and _austerity_ but at same time misses the larger picture of global economics. I think, it's not a bad idea to let world recover after the financial crises in steps. Now with USA and Germany quite on the track the rest of Europe and the World can be guided out of the trenches... one after the other. One problem is the communication ofc ;) How to make the "schwäbische-hausfrau" understand all of that plus the fact that 'economic-growth' or rather 'economic-development' (which i find to be the more fitting word) in the magnitudes we were used to in the last 30 years will not come back for a long time... tldr: Germany is still super. But will need to share its wealth more evenly internally and externally to benefit even more ;) (edit:typo)