Are you serious? I think you will have to put things into CONTEXT. As Achimha said these symptoms exist in the "home improvement" sector - but that's really not exclusive to Germany. Other than that there is very little room for tax evasion.
Just look at the German tax numbers! They really don't know where to PUT all those taxes in some years. In any case, it is pretty ridiculous to compare ANY southern european country to Germany (or France, UK).
Just look at the German tax numbers! They really don't know where to PUT all those taxes in some years.
I'll let that stand as written.
In any case, it is pretty ridiculous to compare ANY southern european country to Germany (or France, UK).
They all look similar from my point of view. When comparing Germanic national government with southern European national government or the pan-EU Government, I agree that Germanic government spends your money and regulates personal freedom in a way that can be more clearly analyzed if you have the time or interest to do it. I'd rather just keep the money and do my own thing... and my life is run 100% on that basis. YMMV.
Back on topic, having read Achima's well written trip report, I wouldn't subject myself to that for fun even given the wonderful geography of the destination. To me, it sounds like going to the dentist for fun. When I fly cross-country, if I can manage it I don't talk on the radio and I buy fuel self service at uncontrolled fields where I can meet nice people. That's fun (for me).
To me, it sounds like going to the dentist for fun.
Wait for part two, the flight from Greece to Egypt. That will be like colonoscopy for you.
I'd rather just keep the money and do my own thing... and my life is run 100% on that basis. YMMV.
I love opera and theater. With your model, I'd have to pay 50,000-80,000 € per opera I watch because that is roughly what my city pays for each performance. Luckily I have all those millions of taxpayers that pay for the opera but never go there so I only have to pay 80 € for the ticket. Friends of my in the bay area pay $2000/month for childcare. I pay €300 for a comparable service, thanks to the millions of taxpayers that don't use childcare. I love big government! 
I pay my taxes and am generally OK with the amount of taxes .... I think that the value I get for my taxes is rather good.
It is not. There is nothing a private company operating at a free market couldn't give you at lower price and better quality than government does. By definition. Government lack of motive (profit) is the reason for this.
It is true that German authorities and government employees are not that bad as those at the rest of Europe. God save us from efficient government! More efficient government is just like a more efficient burglar. No, thanks.
I'd have to pay 50,000-80,000 € per opera ..... I love big government!
Why should somebody else pay for your opera? You are probably one of the government people, profiting from the labor of others. This could be the reason why you are pro-government. I have to work hard to earn money on a free, competitive market and I hate the government which is taking a big chunk of my money for nothing in exchange.
The government itself has no money at all. If they want to pay for something, they have to take the money from productive people first. Throw away Marx, read von Mises or Rothbard.
Miroc
millions of taxpayers that pay for the opera
That's exactly the problem. People pay a lot of taxes to the government, so they try to get as much back as possible. Which leads to government not being able to fulfill all expectations, so taxes get increased, closing the vicious circle.
No wonder an unmarried person without kids pays 50% taxes in germany.
No wonder not even computer savvy indians ("Computerinder") wanted live in germany.
There is nothing a private company operating at a free market couldn't give you at lower price and better quality than government does.
I think there are a very limited number of things that government can do better. Compare the US aviation infrastructure with that of the UK if you need an example of where privatization of an intrinsically governmental function has gone badly wrong. The trick is keeping government in its small legitimate box, to force it to do what's in that box properly, and to prevent an endless power grab from individual choice. Not easy.
Most governments worldwide, and quite alarmingly the EU central government, meddle unrestrained in far too many inappropriate roles that would be better served by people and companies working among themselves. Infrastructure and defense are areas in which government has a more legitimate role. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives one very well thought out view on the subject, written by political geniuses.
And I bet the NSA belongs to "defense"... right?
Yep, and eternal vigilance of people over government excess is the price of liberty. Clearly a lot of people think its time to force NSA back in its box, myself included :-) Maybe you could do the same with EASA? It'd be nice to fly in Europe if they were put back inside their box.
Achimha - I'll look forward to the next installment in preparation for my first colonoscopy :-) Actually, I'll look forward to the nice photos.
Germany finds itself in a position it never wanted -- to lead the EU.
Thanks Achim, I did need a good laugh!
This coming from one of 3 countries in the EU who always saw the EU as the only legal and preferrable way to actually own Europe has got some humour in it and some cheek too.
My fondly remembered history teacher at gymnasium, a guy I listened to and should even have believed what he said in 1980 but it sounded too far fetched then, once told us a very true thing about the then EEC: Europe will work until either of Germany, France or the UK find out they don't actually run it. All 3 of these countries used to have imperial ambitions in the past, two actually actively tried repeatedly to conquer Europe by force. Now, they did try to unite Europe on paper and then are ready to complete their original goal of Greater (insert EU/G7 country of your choice).
Too bad that recently they had to find out that the "primitive" nations who signed over their lands to the Brussels Empire actually, and what cheek is that, want to have their say! That they won't simply accept and assimilate to the hegemonial ideas of the new European Order. Some of them, Greece first, woke up to a very nasty reality: When in the years before they could simply devaluate the Drachma yet again to get rid of their debt, they now had to actually caugh up and, oh dear, the creditors now actually own them. Well, had Greece not succumbed to one of the most corrupt socialist regimes for decades, someone might have noticed the consequences and done what Boiko Borissov of Bulgaria did when offered the Euro, said NO. Thank you, but NO. Now it's too late.
And even those who have not gone the full assimilation by the Borg/EUbureaucracy have in the mean time noted that the EU money, for which they cowardly gave up their nations, comes at a horrible price. Ask the folks who can't pay for their electricity and freeze to death in winter because heating and power went up 500%. Nobody can pay for that anymore in a lot of places. Ask them how they feel when the EU marched in, closed down their only source of electric power so that German and Austrian power companies could come in and take the country hostage. And if it surprises anyone that this happened under Socialist governments, it did not surprise me.
What I don't like is when one EU countries lectures another and I hate to see when that happens, especially by a German politician
That makes two of us, especcially when people like present day chancellor candidate Steinbrueck (Quote of the day "Oh, there's an egg here") threatens neighbours with military force!
Switzerland is generally very similar to Germany but it works better than Germany. It needs less bureaucracy, less punishment, less restrictions to function and for people to pay taxes. Why it is like that, I don't know.
Several reasons. First and foremost, our government REALLY derives his power by the consent and active participation of the people. Even if our politicians without the structures we have in place (popular referendum/initiative) would love to make Switzerland into GDR MK3, they can't, because the Swiss population can veto their plans. In recent years, there have been a LOT of ideas by our Socialists to curtail these rights, the day they succeed, we shall cease to be a democracy and become like the rest of Europe.
Secondly, Switzerland is and has been a nation of pretty damn good bankers. And with that I don't necessarily meen the people actually working and making decisions at our largest banks, some of which were outright stupid in recent years, not to say criminal, but heavens if they don't know how to keep their funds together. The major consequence of that is that taxes are low. 10-20% income tax depending on where you live plus 6% VAT. Yea, one of your yearly salaries go to the state. People grumble but pay. Rise taxes to 50-60% like some people would want to? VAT to 30%? People won't just grumble they will take up arms and defend their income. And that, Achim, is exactly what happens in countries who are robbing their own people with unreasonable tax rates. No, they do not take up rifles and battleaxes as in the old days to rebell, they protect their money.
I love opera and theater. With your model, I'd have to pay 50,000-80,000 € per opera I watch because that is roughly what my city pays for each performance. Luckily I have all those millions of taxpayers that pay for the opera but never go there so I only have to pay 80 € for the ticket.
Interesting perspective. I don't think that it is the Government's job to subsidize opera houses or other recreational venues. What comes out if they do is unfortunately only too obvious: They do not have to care whether they actually make money but can "experiment" with culture as they please regardless whether the people like what they do or not. I've seen enough garbage productions of modernist drivel in European theaters to last me a lifetime and it would hurt me to know I pay one cent of my tax money for it. Interestingly, those cities and countries which have the richest productions of theater and opera work with pure economical principles: Either a show works and makes money and stays on or it doesn't and closes. And interestingly, those productions were much cheaper to go to than the subsidized opera temples of Europe, which are unaffordable with all their subsidies to the common person with ticket prices beyond all reason. I do love Opera too, but I found that before I go and watch a dumbed down modernized garbage in the oh so critically acclaimed state theaters in Germany or Switzerland, I buy a ticket to London and see a show which is good enough to stand in it's own right.
Taxpayers to pay for my ticket? The very idea....
The European Union has only got a chance of survival if they return sovereignity to it's member states and when the hegemonial powers of old (and I clearly mean ALL of them, not only Germany) stop telling the other states how to live. Pumping money into those states won't make friends of them, just the opposite. Germany would be well advised to look at history and make checks and balances on how well those fared who tried to rule others via the credits they gave them until they owned them. From the Knights Templar to more recent examples, a lot of these enterprises ended in bloody wars. And those who feel the Euro is a guarantee for peace might have a look at the American Civil War and it's real causes to find out what happens if a "rich" North oversteps the borders of an empoverished South.
You are probably one of the government people, profiting from the labor of others. This could be the reason why you are pro-government. I have to work hard to earn money on a free, competitive market and I hate the government which is taking a big chunk of my money for nothing in exchange.
Yes, I think you got it exactly right. I am one of those government employees working for an agency that has no function, I get 60 days of paid vacation, another 6 because I have to work with computers, a bonus if I show up at work regularly and yet another for speaking English... Apart from that I have founded and run several high-tech companies but that is just a hobby so you got it essentially right.
If you think you get nothing for your tax money, then either your government does a very bad job at putting it to use or you are an eremite not participating in society. I get much more than opera and childcare: public safety, excellent infrastructure (roads, trains, cheap/efficient postal service), well trained workers.
That's exactly the problem. People pay a lot of taxes to the government, so they try to get as much back as possible. Which leads to government not being able to fulfill all expectations, so taxes get increased, closing the vicious circle.
The idea (hope) is that there is something in it for everybody and you get good value for your money. To get the big picture, you have to look at the public expenditure quota, i.e. the percentage of the GNP (gross national product) that the government/administration spends. The value for Germany is 44.9% which is high but it is less than the UK at 45.5% and of course the record holder France at 56.2%. Traditionally lower is Switzerland at around 35% (no 2012 numbers). The USA are comparable to Germany at around 44%. Greece has 51%.
Looking at Germany's 44.9% and the UK's 45.5% I do see some evidence that our big government does a better job at putting that money to use, comparing infrastructure, available education (public). It starts right with ATC which provide a rather poor service level in the UK and goes over substandard public transport. A lot of the UK GNP goes into NHS which I don't know well enough to compare for its (in)efficiency.
If you talk about being robbed by government and getting nothing for it, look at France. Also look at their birthrate, the various reports about people's happiness, etc. That is a country where the vast majority of your work results go to the government for allocation and redistribution. I am very glad we are not there and I know that the current German tax rates are the lowest in over 30 years and whatever will happen, they will only see increases.
A positive example for a government with a very high public expenditure quote is Sweden at 49.2%. The government gets every second kroner but apparently it is quite good at using that money as you can see from many figures.
Secondly, Switzerland is and has been a nation of pretty damn good bankers.
Ah, so banking creates value? Actually it doesn't other than that supply of credit enables production and that is in no way better in Switzerland than the other developed economies. Karl Marx had that all figured out very well (even though I'm not a communist, he is for sure one of the greatest economists of all times). Unless of course if by "pretty good bankers" you mean attracting and hiding foreign money of dubious sources.
