Weekly Article Summary_ Germany

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Oct 30, 2023

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Ethan Varughese POLS 131 Professor Eskandari 9/18/22 Weekly Article and News Summary Germany The first article from the Economist, explains how the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has forced Germany to better itself in case of conflict between Germany and Russia. Following the aftermath of the Second World War, Germany put itself in an awkward situation where they were monitored and repressed by NATO, as the countries within NATO continued to improve themselves. One key problem between Germany and Russia is Germany’s large dependence on cheap Russian gas to fuel manufacturing. Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Germany’s chancellor announced the large changes that would be coming to Germany. For instance “ Germany is restarting mothballed coal-fired power plants. It will invest in renewables. It should (and probably will) extend the life of three nuclear plants that had been rashly scheduled to close.” The significance of this quote is that Germany has decided to start producing its own energy decreasing the interdependence between countries. These changes show the determination of Germany to revitalize itself and promote a more prosperous future. In addition to restructuring its economy and means of obtaining fuel and energy, the German chancellor has also stated its plans for increasing its military might. According to the article “He has also promised a less starry-eyed approach to foreign affairs, sending heavy weapons to Ukraine in defiance of the old pacifist taboo.” The significance of this quote is that Germany has held a pacifist view for quite some time, however, due to the revelations in Ukraine, we are now seeing a revamp of Germany's purchasing power and production. These changes are partially derived from the fact that Germany holds an important position in keeping Europe together and in check from dictatorships. “Thanks to Vladimir Putin, Germany Has Woken Up.” The Economist , The Economist Newspaper,https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/08/11/thanks-to-vladimir-putin- germany-has-woken-up.

The second article from the Economist, the article covers the economic importance and weather-related issues of Germany’s waterways. Germany is very reliant on its use of inland waterways as a third of Germany’s fuel resources, chemicals, and grains travel to Germany through inland waterways, a method that has proven itself as effaceable for German trade. Furthermore, due to issues with droughts, these much-needed waterways are lacking the necessary amount of water for this method of transportation to be as effective. According to the article “To decrease their draughts, barges are carrying only 15-25% of their usual loads. Germany’s most important waterway could yet shut.” This quote is significant because Germany’s most important resources and some of its most lucrative businesses heavily depend on these waterways. In addition, tying these concepts to the last article, Germany’s new counselor is determined to rebuild Germany both economically and militarily, both of which are resource-heavy projects. In addition, citizens of Germany have tried bringing the government’s attention to the dying waterways, but unfortunately, with no luck, federal spending on waterways is expected to decrease further. The article goes on to further explain the possible economic consequences of the waterways becoming unusable and preventing sea trade. In 2018, this same crisis was responsible for decreasing Germany’s GDP by 0.4%, a small number that resulted in the losses of millions of dollars. The author of this article goes on to express that by explaining the significance of Germany's inland waterways and the drought it faces, politicians will be more motivated to act due to the immense economic consequences that have been predicted to follow. “Germany's Waterways Are Unsung, but Essential.” The Economist , The Economist Newspaper, https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/08/18/germanys-waterways-are- unsung-but-essential. The last and most recent article comes from the Guardian and covers Germany’s actions for rebuilding itself through decreasing its interdependence with other countries.

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