Discussion with Mr. Dirk Schulz
Last week, Econ 312 students had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Schulz, the Deputy Consul General of the German consulate in Los Angeles. The discussion with Mr. Schulz was very enlightening, as it gave us the opportunity to learn about Germany’s political economy from the perspective of a civil servant. Hearing Mr. Schulz discuss the effect of the war in Ukraine on Germany’s energy supply was fascinating. Mr. Schulz explained that the lack of natural gas Western Europe has received from Russia since the beginning of the war has derailed Germany’s plans to make a complete transition to renewable energy in the near future. Although this was disheartening to hear, it was uplifting to know that in the face of adversity the country is still very much working toward cleaner solutions.
I was really interested to learn about how Germany has responded to the influx of refugees from Syria and Ukraine in recent years. Mr. Schulz gave an insightful answer about how the country has received immigrants from these two countries, and the social backlash that politicians have encountered as a result of their policies on migration. Mr. Schulz discussed how Syrian refugees faced xenophobia and racism from Germans when they migrated, whereas Ukrainians experienced this less so. Still, in both cases the massive influx of refugees and immigrants to Germany has really strained the country’s cities. However, Mr. Schulz also mentioned that the German economy is reliant on immigration. Germany is a country with an aging population, and migration is important for expanding the labor force.
The theme that resonated with me most was Mr. Schulz discussion about how Germany exists in a social market economy, meaning the state has the means to influence the economy. As a result, Germany has high taxation and a strong social system. Many of the sustainable development goals Germany has made are a result of this system. Living in the US, where there is primarily a free market economic system with limited government regulation, It’s difficult to compare these two countries. Regardless, the conversation was incredibly stimulating and will surely improve our understanding of German politics when we arrive there.
