We cannot blame the social Democrats, that they adopt in their despair of Hartz IV. Wrong it still remains.
comment by Nicholas Piper Nicholas Piper
Nicholas Piper, born in 1952, is the author of the süddeutsche Zeitung and especially loves writing about fundamental questions of Economics. From 1999 to 2006, he headed the economic Department of the SZ, after that, he was the paper’s Economics correspondent in New York. Piper is the author of two children’s books by “Felix and the love of money” and “history of economy”.
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It is a tragic conflict. In front of almost 13 years, the SPD under Gerhard Schröder and the Agenda 2010. For the country brought to you a sensational success – never before since the reunification in Germany were so many people in work as it is today. For the party, however, the Agenda was tantamount to a disaster, the vote share of the SPD has halved since then. In this respect, you can’t blame the social Democrats, that they adopt in their despair of the Agenda, or, as it is formulated, the oppressed, Andrea Nahles, “Hartz IV leave behind”. Wrong it still remains.
Who is unemployed, in Germany, claim that the state funded his living, and helps him to find a new Job quickly. He is obliged to do everything to achieve this goal. That was the case earlier, but the Agenda 2010 has moved the Weights away from the supply, to Encourage and Challenge. The quality of the advice in the employment agencies was better, and there are sanctions if someone refuses the job search.
the welfare state is more to the supply state
the resolutions of The SPD, the turn around now. The “citizens ‘ money” to take the place of Hartz IV, does exactly this: recipients get money without having to demonstrate that they are actively looking for a Job. The SPD refers to this as a “empathic, supportive and citizen-centred welfare state”. In reality, the welfare state is more to the supply state. It is significant that the SPD Board of management remained vague as to the financing.
the u-turn by the SPD in its fatal logic, one has to consider the successes of the Agenda. It is not the sole merit of the Hartz-reforms that, today, of a German “jobs miracle”. But you have made a major contribution, especially because it is managed, the solidified length is to reduce the time of unemployment.
merits have acquired, the trade unions, which it exercised in the zero years, when it arrived, and Wage restraint. In hindsight, at least the year 2005, the Agenda 2010 is in force, acts as a Turning point. Until then, the number of unemployed rose for the year and reached almost five million. Since 2005, she has continued to decrease to 2.2 million. The new employees have the majority of precarious, but ordinary, insurable Jobs.
Unrealistic socio-political claims
true enough, Gerhard schröder’s Reform would be a Reform necessary, which is a legislative package, no wonder. Be treated in today’s System, in fact, the young unemployed to hard. This needs to be changed. Hartz IV must not be a Stigma any more, not for anyone.
is true in view of the uncertainties of the digital age finally, the requirement to open the statutory pension insurance for the self-employed. But it is always about the Details, not the substance of the Agenda. Whether the economically Incorrect, the party is for the SPD is at least politically Correct, by votes of more voters, you see. When it comes to unrealistic social and political demands, has been the left party, however, is still better.
