Victor Davis Hanson // Hoover Institution
Every 20 to 50 years in Germany, things start unraveling. Germans feel aggrieved. Ideas and movements gyrate wildly between far left and far right extremes. And the Germans finally find consensus in a sense of victimhood paradoxically expressed as national chauvinism. Germany’s neighbors in 1870, 1914, 1939—and increasingly in the present—usually bear the brunt of this national meltdown.
Germany is supposed to be the economic powerhouse of Europe, its financial leader, and its trusted and responsible political center. Often it plays those roles superbly. But recently, it’s been cracking up—in a way that is hauntingly familiar to its European neighbors. On mass immigration, it is beginning to terrify the nearby nations of Eastern Europe. On Brexit, it bullies the British. On finance, it alienates the southern Europeans. On Russia, it irks the Baltic States and makes the Scandinavians uneasy by doing business with the Russian energy interests. And on all matters American, it increasingly seems incensed.
Discussion (3)
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Once again the failure(s) of a Socialist Government is revealed. This time the German Socialism Meme doesn't include the lead-in of National Socialism or the Logo of Nazism, but the Generation raised during the Post WW-Two-- are not one iota different than the Generation raised during Post WW One. Looking for scapegoats and being the most belligerent and self absorbed people when travelling within & without Germany. Democracy is a charade to the German Pysche living on the Heritage of the Ancient Greek Heritage of quasi-sensible Philosophy. The self-congratulatory thinking of respect for any German with a Doctorate must be called Doctor at all times and if the German actually has Two Doctorates then every conversation must start with Doctor-Doctor to meet the self importance level.
Wish they had some other button besides 'like.' I suppose you are not doing your job if some of what you write is unsettling.
Germany is a left leaning nation. Lefties generally do not like the US. The French don't have much use for us either. For that matter, the lefties in the US don't like America either as for example Michelle Obama. The Europeans hated Reagan and George Bush with a passion. It is not surprising that they hate the Donald, as well. This hate is not limited to Germany by a long shot.