According to Soros, liberal democracy is failing all across the western world. Apparently, this is because what he calls the “open society” is in crisis. Now, he may very well be right about this, but pinning it on Angela Merkel seems somewhat bizarre. Especially when she is painted as being inadvertently in league with Vladimir Putin. But, nevertheless, it’s the German chancellor he regards as most culpable for why voters have become disenchanted with modern democracy.
Writing in a widely published New Year op-ed, Soros traces the current European crisis back to the crash of 2008. He laments how “Germany emerged as the hegemonic power in Europe, but it failed to live up to the obligations that successful hegemons must fulfill, namely looking beyond their narrow self-interest to the interests of the people who depend on them.”
Then he harks back to the 1940’s. “Compare the behavior of the US after WWII with Germany’s behavior after the Crash of 2008,” he observes. “The US launched the Marshall Plan, which led to the development of the EU; Germany imposed an austerity program that served its narrow self-interest.”
Russophrenia: Western elites ignore their own citizens’ anger and blame Russia instead (Op-Edge by @27khv) https://t.co/h5UohS2ceE
— RT (@RT_com) December 17, 2016
This is very unfair to Berlin. The difference here is that the Marshall Plan followed the most destructive war humanity has ever known, and the US was not practicing pure benevolence either. It was acting in naked self-interest, because it feared all of Europe turning communist. And despite Marxist Moscow helping to win the conflict, it was abundantly clear that the USSR and the US would compete for global domination in the new world order of the time. Thus, the US was creating a buffer zone against the Soviets and bolstering allies it would need for its own protection, and for the maintenance of the capitalist system it promoted.
Germany’s situation in 2008 was rather different. Berlin was not seeking to become a global superpower, and the public was not pushing for it either. Also, there was no ideology in play, other than a belief that countries should live within their means. Furthermore, Germany had recently completed a costly reunification, and its economy was only returning to growth after a decade of near stagnation. For the average German in 2008, the last thing on their mind was becoming Europe’s hegemonic power.
Soros’ attack on Germany is probably borne out of personal frustration over Merkel’s lack of willingness to push for further European integration. Yet, this policy is merely a reflection of what her electorate wants. Miserly Germans are unable to countenance financially supporting profligate southern Europeans. As a result, the Euro currency project, which Merkel’s predecessor Helmut Kohl was basically forced into by France, has always had a questionable long-term future.
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