23 – Germany’s Wealth, Power – and Their Limits: Economic Miracles, Imperialist Hangovers, and the "End of History"

BerlinsideOut

In the fourth episode of BerlinsideOut season two, Ben and Aaron sit down with Albrecht Ritschl, a renowned German economic historian, to trace the historical origins of Germany’s economic model – and how its current emphasis on geoeconomics and free riding on security has influenced German foreign policy towards Russia, Ukraine, and wider Europe. We also look at how Germany hasn’t completely shaken off its imperial mindset, and how its selective memory culture continues to influence how it views Russia and wider Europe. A spirited discussion of the neoliberal globalisation and (lack of) alternatives to it, ensues.

Guests:

• Albrecht Ritschl, Professor of Economic History, London School of Economics (@AlbrechtRitschl)

Resources:

• Is Germany Again the Sick Man of Europe?, The Economist, August 2023
• Understanding West German Economic Growth in the 1950s, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, Barry Eichengreen & Albrecht Ritschl, 2008
• Germany’s Ukraine policy is incoherent for a reason, Matthew Karnitschnig, Politico
• Tweet Message on ZDF poll: “Occupied territories: If it could end the war, should Ukraine…”, Christopher Wratil, March 25th, 2024
• 1977 Alastair Buchan Memorial Lecture, Helmut Schmidt, International Institute of Strategic Studies
• Germany Needs a New Growth Model, Sander Tordoir and Shahin Vallee, Centre for European Reform Policy Brief
• Germany, Russia, and the Rise of Geo-economics, Stephen Szabo
• Latvia blasts Germany’s ‘immoral and hypocritical’ relationship with Russia and China, Louise Westendarp, Politico
• Empires: Eine Globale Geschichte 1780-1920 (in German), Ulrike von Hirschhausen and Jörn Leonhard
• Kraftwerk and the International Rebirth of Germany: Multiplicity, identity and difference in music and International Relations, Benjamin Tallis, 2022

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