>How much of Germany's economic problems can be
>attributed to the integration with East Germany? I
>would guess quite a bit, but presumably there must be
>some advantages as well (a cheap labour source for example).
>
Though the value of the East German industrial base turned out to be even less than was thought, the 'costs of integration' were always something of an excuse for German capitalism's own failures. In retrospect it is easy to see that Germany was part of the same trade cycle as everyone else.
-- James Heartfield Sustaining Architecture in the Anti-Machine Age is available at GBP19.99, plus GBP3.26 p&p from Publications, audacity.org, 8 College Close, Hackney, London, E9 6ER. Make cheques payable to 'Audacity Ltd'. www.audacity.org