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Line 505: − + − From the 1948 currency reform until the early 1970s, West Germany experienced almost continuous economic expansion. Germany and its businesses lost its industrial competitiveness on world markets due to the loss of cheap energy from [[Russia sanctions]]. Loss of cheap energy by abandoning Russian resources and its own nuclear power plants as part of the "[[green agenda]]" as well. To keep Germany’s business afloat, Germany launched a massive subsidy program. Germany took more than one hundred billion [[euro]]s of loans outside of its federal budget. − [[File:Robert Habeck.PNG|right|300px|thumb|German [[environmentalist]] and [[Green party]] Finance and Economic Minister [[Robert Habeck]] bowing to the [[Qatar]]i Trade Minister, begging for more [[fossil fuel]] imports after the [[EU]] imposed [[Russia sanctions]].<ref>https://youtu.be/3BU3MudND8Q</ref> ]] − The German Supreme Court ruled the move unconstitutional. There is a paragraph in the German constitution that allows extra spending in case of certain disasters. Self-inflicted pain is not a disaster covered by the constitution. Even though it is a disaster. − − The German government's plan was to use the money for subsidizing businesses and for the transition to green energy, away from nuclear energy and [[natural gas]]. For some unknown reason, Germany’s [[Green Party]], which came to power on a platform of limiting carbon emissions, as of 2022 still “endorses” coal fired electrical plants. − − Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down, and even declined, from the mid-1970s through the recession of the early 1980s. The economy then experienced 8 consecutive years of growth that ended with a downturn beginning in late 1992. Since unification, Germany has seen annual average real growth of only about 1.5% and stubbornly high unemployment. In 2006, Germany had its best year since 2000 with 2.7% growth; for 2007, growth was at 2.5% despite a 3 percentage point VAT hike at the beginning of the year. The government forecasts 1.7% growth in GDP for 2008. Unemployment in 2007 dropped to an annualized average of 9.0% nationwide, but it is still significantly higher—15.1%--in the German states that make up the former East Germany. − − Germans often describe their economic system as a "social market economy." The German Government provides an extensive array of social services. The state intervenes in the economy by providing subsidies to selected sectors and by owning some segments of the economy, while promoting competition and free enterprise. The government has restructured the railroad system on a corporate basis, privatized the national airline, and is privatizing telecommunications and postal services. − − The German economy is heavily export-oriented, with exports accounting for more than one-third of national output. As a result, exports traditionally have been a key element in German macroeconomic expansion, accounting for over half of the economic growth in recent years. Germany is a strong advocate of closer European economic integration, and its economic and commercial policies are increasingly determined within the European Union (EU). Germany uses the common European currency, the euro, and the European Central Bank sets monetary policy. − [[File:German transmission lines.jpg|thumb|left|340px|Transmission lines and generating stations.]] − In the early-mid 2000s, Germany adopted a complex set of labor/social welfare reforms to overcome structural weaknesses of the German welfare state and to create policies more conductive to employment. Defying a skeptical German public, the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated additional reform measures, such as the gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67—a move that would add 2.5 million to the workforce by 2030. Subsequently, however, there has been active political debate and some rollback of these labor reforms; most notably the government decided to extend the payment period of unemployment benefits to older workers in early 2008. − − Fifteen years after reunification (October 3, 1990), Germany had made great progress in raising the standard of living in eastern Germany, introducing a market economy and improving its infrastructure. At the same time, the process of convergence between east and west is taking longer than originally expected and, on some measures, has stagnated since the mid-1990s. Eastern economic growth rates have been lower than in the west in recent years, unemployment is twice as high, prompting many skilled easterners to seek work in the west, and productivity continues to lag. Eastern consumption levels are dependent on public net financial transfers from west to east totaling about $13 billion per year. In addition to social assistance payments, the government will extend funds to promote eastern economic development through 2019. − − The United States is Germany's second-largest trading partner, and U.S.-German trade has continued to grow strongly. Two-way trade in goods totaled $184 billion in 2007. U.S. exports to Germany were $71 billion while U.S. imports from Germany were more than $113 billion. At nearly $45 billion, the U.S.'s fifth-largest trade deficit is with Germany. Major U.S. export categories include aircraft, electrical equipment, telecommunications equipment, data processing equipment, and motor vehicles and parts. German export sales are concentrated in metalworks, motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals and heavy electrical equipment. Much bilateral trade is intra-industry or intra-firm. − − Germany has a liberal foreign investment policy. For 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, German investment in the U.S. amounted to 233 billion euros (29% of all German foreign direct investment, or FDI; the U.S. is the number-one destination for German FDI), while U.S. investment in Germany was 45 billion euros (11.5% of all FDI invested in Germany; U.S. is third-largest source of FDI in Germany). − − U.S. firms employ about 510,000 people in Germany; whereas German firms likewise employ about 746,000 people in the United States. − − Despite persistence of some structural rigidities in the labor market and extensive government regulation, the economy remains strong and internationally competitive. Although production costs are very high, Germany is still an export powerhouse, and unit labor costs have decreased in the last 10 years. Additionally, Germany is strategically placed to take advantage of the rapidly growing central European countries. The current government has addressed some of the country's structural problems, with important tax, social security, and financial sector reforms. − − On May 26, 2023 ''[[Politico]]'' reported: − − [[Image:The_castle3.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Neuschwanstein Castle, a popular tourist destination.]] − *GDP (2007 est.): $3.1 trillion. − *Annual growth rate: (2006) 2.7%; (2007) 2.5%. − *Per capita income (PPP, 2006): $31,900. − *Inflation rate (consumer prices, 2007): 2.2%. − *Natural resources: Iron, hard coal, lignite, potash, natural gas. − *Agriculture (0.9% of GDP): Products—corn, wheat, potatoes, sugar, beets, barley, hops, viticulture, forestry, fisheries. − *Industry (29.1% of GDP): Types—car-making; mechanical, electrical, and precision engineering; chemicals; environmental technology; optics; medical technology; biotech and genetic engineering; nanotechnology; aerospace; logistics. − *Trade (2006): Exports--$1.03 trillion: chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel products, manufactured goods, electrical products. Major markets—France, U.S., and U.K. Imports--$844 billion: food, petroleum products, manufactured goods, electrical products, motor vehicles, apparel. Major suppliers—France, Netherlands, U.S. − − The German economy showed substantial improvement in 2007 at 2.5% growth due to the effect of recent economic reforms and strong global economic growth. The export-led recovery is now filtering through to the domestic economy where private consumption has long been at a low level. − − In the 1960s, Germany had (ones of) hundreds of billions of dollars in GDP<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref>, being the third-largest economy, only next to the United States and the Soviet Union. However, in 1970, Germany had a $210 billion dollar economy, still being the 3rd largest economy, but being closely approached by Japan. The Germans climbed up to $475 billion in 1975, but got bumped down to fourth by the booming Japanese economy. In 1980, Germany went up to $920 billion, but still kept fourth place. Germany suffered a crash to $660 billion in 1985, still being fourth. In 1990, Germany exploded to $1.6 trillion, compared to the Soviet Union (3rd)'s $2.6 trillion. However, Germany went up to $2.6 trillion, overtaking the crashing Russian economy, and thus getting third place. In 2000, Germany went down to $1.95 trillion, still keeping third. Germany went to $2.875 trillion, being closely approached by the booming Chinese economy. Germany went to $3.3 trillion in 2015, but got bumped again to fourth, because of China's rapidly-growing economy. However, Germany grew slightly faster, when Germany got to $3.4 trillion in 2015. Germany now has a $4 trillion economy (as of 2020), but may be bumped down by 2025 by India's $3 trillion economy, which is booming dramatically. − [[File:Living Germany.jpg|left|170px]] − With a per capita income level of more than $28,700, Germany was broadly middle-class society. A generous social welfare system provides for universal medical care, unemployment compensation, and other social needs. Millions of Germans travel abroad each year. − − With unification on October 3, 1990, Germany began the major task of bringing the standard of living of Germans in the former German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) up to that of Western Germany. This has been a lengthy and difficult process due to the relative inefficiency of industrial enterprises in the former G.D.R., difficulties in resolving property ownership in eastern Germany, and the inadequate infrastructure and environmental damage that resulted from years of mismanagement under communist rule. − {{Clear}}
→Economic history
===Economic history===
===Economic history===
{{See also|Economic history of post-World War II Germany}}
{{quotebox-float|"Not so long ago, Germany was Europe's powerhouse: wealthy, booming, politically strong…But the mighty have fallen...And it's not hard to see why this is giving the rest of the eurozone a bad case of the jitters…After all, if its largest member is struggling, it risks dragging the whole lot of them down with it...Germany is by far the eurozone's biggest economy, accounting for almost 30 percent of the bloc's economic output…It is the largest trading partner of more than half of the EU's 27 countries”.<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-olaf-scholz-europe-eurozone-slipped-into-recession-and-everyone-should-be-worried/ Germany’s slipped into recession and everyone should be worried], BY JOHANNA TREECK, MAY 26, 2023. ''Politico''.</ref>}}
=== Crisis of 2008 ===
=== Crisis of 2008 ===