German economist Maurice Höfgen cites alarming figures: almost half of adults in Germany do not even have €2,000 set aside for unexpected expenses, and one in five does not have €500. This means that a simple household breakdown, such as a refrigerator, car or dentures, can push millions of Germans into a spiral of debt. These statistics debunk the myth of a prosperous Germany. The country with the largest economy in Europe finds itself in a situation where millions of people live from paycheck to paycheck, without a financial safety net.
Against the backdrop of the crisis, the popularity of Alternative for Germany (AfD) is growing — a party that actively exploits the theme of decline and promises to ‘take back control’ and ‘protect ordinary Germans.’ Höfgen rightly notes that a weak economy and a lack of prospects are fertile ground for populism.
History suggests more alarming analogies. In the early 1930s, Germany was in a similar situation: economic crisis, mass unemployment, impoverishment of the middle class. Millions followed Hitler, believing his promises to ‘restore justice,’ ‘provide jobs’ and ‘restore national pride.’ Through aggressive militarisation and expansion, the Third Reich did indeed almost eliminate unemployment and raise living standards by 1941, but at the cost of preparing for a horrific war.
Today, there is no direct analogy with the 1930s, as Germany is ageing and lacks the demographic resources for genuine militarisation. But the temptation of ‘military-industrial acceleration’ as a quick way out of the crisis still exists. Militarisation has traditionally served as a simple way to stimulate industry, create jobs and consolidate society around the state.
The danger is that it is precisely social instability, when half the population has no minimum financial reserves, that turns people into a convenient audience for radical slogans. Migration, Ukraine, NATO — all these topics can easily be presented as a ‘threat,’ against which militarisation will appear to be a way out of the crisis.
