Inequality

After a recent opinion poll published in Stern magazine, three out of four Germans reported the highest paid individuals in the country were over-paid. Furthermore, fifty-eight percent believed legal limits should be placed on company heads and executives who last year took home €20 million. They consider this issue a social injustice that calls for attention and a close evaluation before the fall federal elections.

Germany traditionally has lower wealth inequalities than other rich countries. But now poverty is on the rise with workers who are being paid 55 cents an hour, while on the other end there are 137 billionaires with a total worth of $550 billion. After 10 years of wage restraint, unions in both the public and private sector are seeking substantial wage rises of 6.5% for about 12.5 million employees. This problem is not exclusive to Germany; Greece, Spain and Portugal would also greatly benefit from a great revision and redistribution of funds.

The main fighters of this issue are the Social Democrats because the companies can afford to pay their workers more, they just choose not to. The party charges that Merkel (country’s chancellor) has neglected domestic social issues like establishing a federal minimum wage, offering better child care  facilities and education, securer pension system, better care for the elderly, equality at work for women, and stronger regulations on tax evasions.

Leaders have relaxed attitudes concerning the issues of the lower working class. As long as the issues are not directly affecting them they are complacent in addressing them. Similar to the film China Blue watched in class, the factory owner’s (bourgeoisie who does not actually contribute to the labor/ manufacturing process) main goal is maximizing his profit—even in the immoral means of worker exploitation.

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/02/inequality-big-issue-in-germany/

Rayna Tyson. February 15, 2013. 1:02PM.