"European values: Global or local?
Huseyin Bagci
bagci@metu.edu.tr
27 March 2006
The Germans are the most pessimistic nation in Europe, according to a recent survey conducted in six leading nations. The most important question is, however, why the Germans are so pessimistic while they are the leading export nation in the world and one of the richest. According to the survey analysis, because the German demographic structure is shrinking and getting older and older, there is a great deficit of children. Where there are no children, as an Arab proverb says, there is no optimism. Germany is exactly in this situation. The Germans of today actually have nothing to cry about except they have to work longer. It is true that the Germans are fighting for a better social structure and the German state is cutting off some pension rights etc., but the German state is still providing the most acceptable social security for its citizens."
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