Germany’s Self-Inflicted Decline

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been talking to my son, Jacob, about the situation in Germany. After hearing his observations about what he’s seeing in Berlin, I encouraged him to write this essay.

By Jacob Bryce

Berlin has a reputation as one of Europe’s “cool” cities. And it’s true, the vibe in Berlin — its nightlife, restaurants, and cultural scene — is amazing. But Berlin isn’t Germany. And as an American who’s been living in Berlin on and off for the past three years, I can tell you that Germany is in the midst of a self-inflicted decline.

Many of the young Germans I’ve met here, including several of my German friends, are hoping to leave the country. Why? They don’t have hope for the future. They see the German system as intractable, a place where upward mobility feels nearly impossible.

While many things are contributing to Germany’s decline, I believe there are three main drivers. As I mentioned above, the most important one is that young Germans have lost faith in the country and aren’t eager to work. Second, the bureaucracy and tax burden are absurd. Third, the energy costs are crushing the economy.