NUREMBERG: Seated before the tram's control panel, Benedikt Hanne, 24, deftly steered the red and white wagons, hours before heading to his Nuremberg university to study for a social work degree. As an apprentice, Hanne was watched closely by a trainer, and the tram he drove had no passengers. Bu
    • FiniteBanjoEnglish
      38·
      9 months ago

      That is fair, too, Germany’s minimum wage is €12 which is slightly more than half of their neighbouring Switzerland’s 23 CHF per hour. I bet tons of people would be willing to drive a tram if they payed more.

      That said, I don’t think it’s nice to refer to immigrants as “cheap labour from overseas” especially when the alternative is literally children.

      • Deceptichum@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        94·
        9 months ago

        That said, I don’t think it’s nice to refer to immigrants as “cheap labour from overseas”

        Do you think the ruling class see it as anything other than?

        • FiniteBanjoEnglish
          39·
          9 months ago

          The ruling class of Germany…? The fuck? On every democracy index Germany places 14th or higher.

            • FiniteBanjoEnglish
              12·
              9 months ago

              Germany on-budget allocation is 477 Bn Euros and their off-budget special funds are 869 Bn Euros, as long as people vote for who is in power then German Billionaires are far below them on the food chain.

              Do I think backroom deals occur? Yeah, enough to put them at #14 in the democracy index instead of #1. That’s what that number means, how compromised they are on a scale. The German ruling class are the average people.

              • Deceptichum@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                64·
                9 months ago

                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Economist_Democracy_Index

                According to this, my country, Australia is tied with 14th and 100% there is a ruling class who favour corporate lobbying and billionaires over everyone else.

                This ranking means jack shit. The only way you’re not going to have a ruling class is to be a true democracy, a direct democracy, and not have a class of people dedicated to leading for you. Anyone else is too easily and systematically bought out.

                I entirely reject your premise that being 14th in a democracy ranking means you don’t have a ruling class.

                • FiniteBanjoEnglish
                  13·
                  9 months ago

                  That’s because Australia is lower than Germany on that particular list. Australia has a massive corruption ring particularly in NSW, but they also have housing projects, single-payer medical, and full subsidized higher education degrees.

                  TBH I agree they should be ranked lower, they’ve been declining in the score given by Economist Intelligence Unit since 2012, I expect their score will continue to decline in 2024’s rankings.

                  • Deceptichum@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                    24·
                    9 months ago

                    It’s 12 and 14, barely a difference.

                    Stop being so delusional about your country.

                    You had corrupt politicians selling masks during Covid and getting kickbacks, you allow politicians to also be lobbyists, that’s institutionalised corruption.

                    62% of Germans feel government corruption is a big problem in your country.

                    https://www.transparency.org/en/gcb/eu/european-union-2021

                    You have a ruling class and you’re burying your head up your arse to pretend you don’t.