Disclaimer: I'm form Germany and usually have a more libertarian view on things.
Much of the German Model is attributed to ordoliberalism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordoliberalism). But to me this rather "wierd" play of liberalism itselfs seems to be more influenced by German culture than the other way around.
And with "culture" I rather mean pieces of wisdom, wich every culture gathers throughout history. The most destinctive events in German history have in common that bad things happened out of chaos. And salvation (order) came from above:
1) The Thirty Years War eraded the German populace. Espacially in Brandenburg with almost 70% gone. It does not wonder that from that area, the prussians developed the proto-German clichet-like mindset of good-governance. Germany went on to be the only country in the world (for a long time) were evangelicals and catholics considered each other countrymen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years%27_War)
2) Napoleon had to bring in social reforms and the rule of law. While our nobils had to give us back our independence and pride from Napoleon and were the ones "creating" Germany in 1871. The nobils also created social security - as a means to keep the masses from revolting.
3) While WWII and the Holocaust are examples to what evil this believe in good-order can lead to, the reaction to the loss of the first and the shame of the latter are itself shaped by German culture:
- Implementing democracy with war seems to have worked in Germany, it came from above.
- Denouncing anti-semitism came somewhat from above and, to some extent, the people have obtained this view.
- Our unions and left-parties were willingly enduring pain, in that they proactively implemented harsh reforms in the labor market and social security system.
My point is, our culture makes it hard in Germany to argue against government. Even our liberals believe in the benefits of good order. The historc feedback loop tells me it might be better to endure a little pain now (eg giving up freedoms) than to endure fatal pain later (mob lynching).
PS: This is not a praisal. As libertarian-tending I don't think fear of chaos is always a sign of maturity. It makes a lot of little things much more costly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oYl-Lm9a6U ?! Never happening in Germany without regulatory approval and intense testing) And on the big scale: the fear of order being disturbed was also an argument against policies that gave more rights to the German jews in the 1800s. And it is the underlying argument against anything "capitalist" or "gentrifying" today.
Much of the German Model is attributed to ordoliberalism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordoliberalism). But to me this rather "wierd" play of liberalism itselfs seems to be more influenced by German culture than the other way around.
And with "culture" I rather mean pieces of wisdom, wich every culture gathers throughout history. The most destinctive events in German history have in common that bad things happened out of chaos. And salvation (order) came from above:
1) The Thirty Years War eraded the German populace. Espacially in Brandenburg with almost 70% gone. It does not wonder that from that area, the prussians developed the proto-German clichet-like mindset of good-governance. Germany went on to be the only country in the world (for a long time) were evangelicals and catholics considered each other countrymen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years%27_War)
2) Napoleon had to bring in social reforms and the rule of law. While our nobils had to give us back our independence and pride from Napoleon and were the ones "creating" Germany in 1871. The nobils also created social security - as a means to keep the masses from revolting.
3) While WWII and the Holocaust are examples to what evil this believe in good-order can lead to, the reaction to the loss of the first and the shame of the latter are itself shaped by German culture:
- Implementing democracy with war seems to have worked in Germany, it came from above.
- Denouncing anti-semitism came somewhat from above and, to some extent, the people have obtained this view.
Also:
- The most successful participants of the German protests of 68 were those who believed in reforming the "system from within" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alliance_%2790/The_Greens)
- our national-holiday is not a date where good came out of a revolt but where politicians made a contract come into effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Unity_Day)
- Our unions and left-parties were willingly enduring pain, in that they proactively implemented harsh reforms in the labor market and social security system.
My point is, our culture makes it hard in Germany to argue against government. Even our liberals believe in the benefits of good order. The historc feedback loop tells me it might be better to endure a little pain now (eg giving up freedoms) than to endure fatal pain later (mob lynching).
PS: This is not a praisal. As libertarian-tending I don't think fear of chaos is always a sign of maturity. It makes a lot of little things much more costly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oYl-Lm9a6U ?! Never happening in Germany without regulatory approval and intense testing) And on the big scale: the fear of order being disturbed was also an argument against policies that gave more rights to the German jews in the 1800s. And it is the underlying argument against anything "capitalist" or "gentrifying" today.