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The MoA Week In Review – (Not Ukraine) OT 2022-168
Last week's posts on Moon of Alabama:
sarah @sahouraxo – 16:38 UTC · Oct 8, 2022
NATO media before and after 2022
bigger
Mark Ames @MarkAmesExiled – 13:23 UTC · Oct 8, 2022
Interesting that just a few days ago, US intel leaked to @nytimes that Ukraine responsible for assassination of Dugina & that US opposed it & had no knowledge of it. Almost as if Langley sought to indemnify US from the next operation on Crimean bridge.
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Other issues:
Britain:
> Until Liz Truss, no one had ever thought to try Larping as a system of government. But it turns out that we in the UK are living inside a full-scale Thatcher Larp, whether we voted for it or not. (…) This unhappy discovery was something the country, and the financial markets, learned from Kwasi Kwarteng’s ‘mini-budget’ on 23 September, the latest catastrophic fuck-up inflicted on the UK by an over-confident Etonian. <
'Progressive' supremacy:
> “This is beyond the pale,” the California Democrat told CNN in a phone interview on Monday. “They are actively fleecing the American people and destabilizing the economy. That’s just outrageous. Who do they think they are?”
…
“It’s outrageous. The Saudis need to be dealt with harshly,” said Khanna, a progressive who has been a tough critic of the kingdom’s humanitarian track record. “They are a third-rate power. We are the most powerful country in the world. I don’t know why we kowtow to them.”
…
“They are not our allies,” Khanna said of Saudi Arabia. “They are hurting the American people. And we need to be tough with them. The president needs to make it clear we will cut off their supply. We could ground their air force in a day.” <
Iran Riots:
Syrian Girl 🇸🇾🎗 @Partisangirl – 0:37 UTC · Sep 25, 2022
Mahsa Amini “died in custody” of a heart attack. Iranian Police released the CCTV footage of her collapse.
She was a 22 year old woman. What a coincidence that she died after Russia started using Iran’s suicide drones in Ukraine and Iran joined the SCO.
Video
China:
Use as open (Not Ukraine) thread …
State elections today in Lower Saxony, Germany. The region covers the North-West of the country, and lies directly south of b’s hometown Hamburg. It has twice the size of New Hampshire and roughly the population of Washington, state. While not being such an economic powerhouse as the country’s southern parts, Lower Saxony harbours a number of important companies, especially Volkswagen and Continental, as well as various industrial centres, dockyards, and a number of universities. The incumbent is from Chancellor Scholz’ labour party (SPD) and had formed a coalition with Merkel’s Christian democrats (CDU) after the last election in 2017. Lower Saxony is a stronghold for both, SPD and CDU. Here’re the results from the exit polls with gains, losses, and party affiliation in brackets.
SPD (Third way labour, neoliberal, pro-NATO, partly woke): 33,5 % [-3,4]
CDU (centre-right, neoliberal, pro-NATO): 27,5 % [-6,1]
Greens (Neoliberal, pro-NATO, epicentre of German wokeness): 14,0 % [+5,3]
AfD (National conservative, neoliberal, pro-NATO): 11,5 % [+5,3]
FDP (Neoliberals, pro-NATO): 5,0 % [-2,5]
LINKE (formerly left-wing turned woke and at least partly pro-NATO): 2,5 % [-2,1] => not in parliament due to the five-percent threshold.
Scholz government in Berlin consists of SPD, Greens, and FDP; the notorious traffic light coalition (“Ampel” in German).
The turnout is probably a bit lower than in 2017 (then about 63 %, low for German standards), but postal ballots were not included in projections.
If someone wonders why the Greens perform this well – there are a number of reasons for. First, the region is also one of their strongholds, with anti-nuclear and other environmental protests having taken place in Lower Saxony for decades. Some may have heard about the demonstrations related to the radioactive waste disposal of Gorleben in the Wendland area of the region, which especially peaked in the 1980s and 1990s. Ursula von der Leyen’s father was the state’s governor from 1976 to 1990 and took a hard stance on the demonstrators. Additionally to the movements, there is this wide-spread “Waldgefühl”, the Germans special fondness for the environment and related issues. I depicted it in one of the open threads last week. Thirdly, German universities and affiliated businesses have turned woke, too, so college towns are likely to lean towards the Greens. Lower Saxony has several of them, such as Göttingen, Osnabrück, and the regional capital Hanover. Fourthly, the media predominantly favors the Greens. In several pre-election polls they had achieved even higher results. Finally, rising energy bills have so far not affected the middle classes (enough). Some alternative media and posters mentioned rallies in Germany during the past weeks; however, they only attended several thousand or tens of thousands of people´. That is not nearly sufficient for any significant impact. For instance, some 10,000 people rallied yesterday in the capital Berlin, protesting against energy prices etc. That’s very small in a city with 3,7 million inhabitants and not even a start.
The election’s aftermath may see SPD and Greens reviving their former coalition (2012 – 2017). In this case, Scholz would gain an additional six votes in Germany’s second legislative chamber, the Bundesrat, bringing his votes to 16. (In the Bundesrat, the states are required to cast the votes en bloc.) However, this will remain far below the 35 needed for own propositions to pass, so he will still be required to bargain with the oppositional CDU to pass certain legislation. Still, as all German parties are Empire-oriented – and therefore overwhelmingly or fully neoliberal and pro-NATO – this development doesn’t carry much weight.
Posted by: Seneschal | Oct 9 2022 16:19 utc | 27
https://nitter.net/Omid_M/status/1579117517389561856#m
My personal journey of education and raised awareness as a consumer of packaged information began in the 90s.
I distinctly recall the moment that I realized that the Economist that I held in my hand was talking authoritatively out of is ass about a (technical) subject matter that I knew quite deeply. I then reflected on all the other columns and subjects regarding which this weekly journal spoke with such authority, and which I had basically accepted due to an internalized bias that The Economist was a “serious” journal, even given their public political orientation. And it wasn’t just the Economist. When 9/11 happened, one of the shocks was to see the degree of subservience of (global!) journalism and their unquestioning propagation of ridiculous halfbacked stories.
Over the years, we all collectively got to learn how to recognize the signs of propaganda organs and sources masquerading as herlads of truth and facts. Twisted facts, partial quotes, distorted context, outright lies, and silence about matters that could not be spun, among other such markers.
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The case of Bernhard and MoA:
The revolution that is currently underway in Iran is being misrepresented by the Western organs as a “feminist movement”, and by Islamic Republic’s organs and foreign clients as a case of “misrepresenting the circumstances of the death of an individual”, and orchestrated by foreign governments and agencies.
Just FYI for MoA readers, and to correct the disservice B is doing by not honestly and completely discussing the matter, demonstrations are on-going in Iran in all corners, even in “religious” cities like Qom. There are as of now numerous video documents of regime personnel shooting to kill unarmed demonstrator; executing in cold blood a young man simply for honking his horn in support; school children chasing out Islamic officials who come over to ‘lecture them’ about “right and wrong” (the “chutzpah” of these animals); spontenuous large gathering of normal people in the street chanting “death to Islamic Republic” fearlessly in front of security goons that look and act just like their counterparts in the “satanic west”; hundreds of peole as of now killed; Zaahidan and Balouch Iranians getting “foreign invasion” treatment (almost as if these animals want Iran to be dismembered and are duly supplying motivation for mass movements); and this list goes on.
The Islamic Republic and their parasitical assets in the West however are adamant that this is “only about this misunderstanding”. You should know that cases like Mahsa Amini have occurred numerous times under the IR regime in Iran. Many years ago, another (beautiful, hm) young Iranian student when to a mosque for Green movement and her friends last saw her being pushed into a van by plainclothes agents. To this day IR denies she even exists!
Her body was found a few days (iirc 10 days) later, in a ditch, burned, and apparently brutally and repeatedly raped and beaten.
That is the Islamic Republic, which is not “of” Iran, but is rather like Plymouth Rock of brother Malcom, “ON” Iran and Iranian nation.
As we all know, B is quite good at digging up mounds of missing information, missing context, full quotes, and brutal taking to task of entities like the New York Times. But unforutnately this talent of B goes awol when MoA and friends are trying to put the lid on the wrongdoings and lets be frank evil conduct of what is perceived as “enemy of my enemy (the empire)”.
The extrajudicial public harrassments, beatings, abductions, detention in “safe houses cum dungeons”, torture both physical and psychological, routine (routine!) device of threatening the abductees with “what we are going to do to your sister/mother/wife in front of you” (all documented), to say nothing of 43 years of wasting Iranian nations resources and wealth on _parasitic_ foreign entities. Foreign entities such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Baathist regime of Assad family. The other day, PressTV (which was setup with help from British “experts” btw) shamelessly put two pictures of Palestinian youth killed by IDF with attendant crocodile tears and feigned indignation, but it failed to note that in the very nation, Iran, that is funding their news organization, Iranian young men are being executed in the street.
Not even IDF does that. IR has managed to make Apartheid Israel look good. Bravo.
So it is not acceptable that Bernhard of MoA, who we all know is smart and resourceful and nobody’s fool, merely fishes out this Syrian parasite and repeats the IR propaganda line and ‘absurdly redacted’ story.
It is puzzling, B, that you expect readership to follow along with your take downs of MSM, and then turn around dish out the same regarding a subject that is apparently impolitic to discuss frankly. It is very disappointing. Are we to believe you can not find any other sources to discuss what is happening in Iran besides this Syrian Parasite?
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The case of Arab Parasites:
Also a word about “how to recognize packaged lies”. The alt-space appears to be adoptiong a sort of Stalinist approach to perception management. We have __cults of personality in geopolitical space__. Just like the government version, a few personas are used and promoted over and over again. Apparently this is a bug in human brains where such repetition at scale brainwashes people into thinking that the talking head/tweeting parasite/spook asset is actually a person worth listening to.
They are not.
Naturally “Syrian Girl” knows who butters her bread. Hezbollah, et al., all know that IR is their golden goose and wish granting cow. Message to our “Muslim brothers and sisters” in Parasite Land: Our nation, a noble people, has faithfully spoken out (even those who are anti-IR) against the injustices done to Arab nations in ME. For 43 years you have been on the receiving end of a supply of free money and goods from Iran. We even forgave you for supporting Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Iran. It is understandable why Syrian Parasite and fellow travellers are pro-IR. They are parasites who are getting funded by stolen wealth of Iranians. They know full well when IR goes, so goes the freeloading and being parasites.
Or to put it simply: Israel is to West, what these Parasite Arabs are to IRAN. Inexplicably, the wealth, resources, and reputation of a people are directed to a ‘Chosen Project’. And just like the average Israeli probably laughs at and has contempt for the American Joe useful idiot, so too these Arab Parasites have nothing but borderline hate for Iranians and the limits of the ‘kind regards’ of people like Syrian Parasite for a suffering Iranian are strictly defined by how stupidly useful Iranians remain.
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The case of the “Sepah Diaspora”:
Dear agents of regime in the West. As you know full wel, but MoA doesn’t since B only can find Syrian Parasite as a source on this topic, Iranian resitance is currently identifying and referring to relevant authorities ALL AGENTS OF IR, including their parasitical hyphenated Iranians that lobby for this occupation regime. May we suggest “Syria” or Lebanon as a final destination? Possibly you can even convince Syrian Parasite to return to her homeland with you. Let’s hope she is not getting used to liberties of the satanic west. Freedom of thought and expression is addictive. (MoA readers: beautiful scenes of “IR Diaspora” getting publicly shamed (minimal) to reported and removed from Satanic west, for the Greater Good.
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The case of Theocracy and “end times struggles”:
I assume there must at least a few sincere Christians in this audiance. If you ever wondered “What kind of people were the Pharisees that were lording it over Hebrews in Jerusalem, how did they act, how did they speak, and what did they do?”, well ‘Providence’ has graced you with a good look-see:
The Mullahs of Iran are the Pharisees of Islam.
It is this group, specifically, that the Messiah and Mahdi are supposed to ‘erase from the pages of history’ for the Greater Good of humanity. So if you think you’re making nice with God by taking the side of these PHARISEES against ROME, think again. Your instructions for what to do are in the Gospels. (Don’t say you didn’t know.)
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The case of enemies of Iranians and other “satanists” and Iran’s Revolution:
It is true that lacking any independent platform for mass communication, propaganda organs of various competing powers are the ones that are cheering the revolution. We Iranains know this. But just as Bernhard of Moon of Alabama has no recourse but to have a highly charged dissident blog on the 5-Eyes blogging platformss (as as Google infested typepad and Twitter) so too we Iranians must use what is available. Have no doubt that people in Iran are aware of who runs what, and over here, we too are actively shaming anyone — anyone — who dares come forward and claim leadership or try to twist this revolution to fit some narrative such as “feminism”.
But thank you for letting us use your photons.
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The case of Young Iranians and Islam:
I am not going to sell faith and religion to you. That is a job for the hypocritical Pharisee Mullahs.
All I want to tell you azizaan is this: Anyone can claim to represent a “household” who are not here to defend themselves. Any charlatan can wrap themselves in faith or democracy or whatever. Just like it would be stupid to mistake a binary song and dance show for “democracy” and “people’s representation”, it is equally stupid to confuse Mullahs and their ilk with Islam, Imam of Shia, or “Justice of Ali”. That’s it.
#مهسا_امینی
#داریوش_علیزاده
Posted by: Iranian Man | Oct 9 2022 16:48 utc | 29
@Tom Pfotzer #21
You said
I’m confused about what cap factors actually are. Your report stated that:
…
87% + 23% is 110% of modeled production. I expected those pcts to add up to 100 pct of modeled production. What am I missing?
The cap factors in each line are for that category in question. As such, they would never add up to 100%.
You said
What did the conference have to say about addressing the intermittency of the intermittent energy sources (solar and wind)? If they’re going to blow another $500 mil on renewables, how do they justify that expenditure?
Texas’ grid is market based. They don’t justify or unjustify – the market will determine it. This market isn’t completely unregulated – there is a Market Monitor that presumably looks for anything that is clearly fuckery but I don’t know the details. So the answer for your question is: the market will provide.
And what’s the general conversation re: the economic case for renewables, given that they’re not using the existing cpy to its potential. Or are they? Do the turn off the dispatchable power when the intermittent is waxing?
These are the big questions. Texas has all sorts of programs aimed at ensuring sufficient extra capacity as well as dispatchable capacity. For example, ERCOT has tiered provider types: 5-10 seconds for top tier; 5 minutes for ERS (Emergency Response) with higher prices, but ERS is only supposed to happen 2 or 3 times a year and at 60 hours/year max along with price caps. Etc etc.
But ultimately, the idea is that the market will serve to levelize intermittent and dispatchable capacity with ERCOT tweaks.
If you’re scared, so am I.
What’s the business case for more renewables if (I said “if”) they can’t use the power from existing renewables?
Since ERCOT doesn’t mandate, buildout of solar PV and wind isn’t their problems one way or the other. The incentives lie entirely with the massive federal subsidies flowing towards these.
Did you pitch my idea about converting renewable elec to a fuel and then back to elec on demand?
I’m not pitching other people’s ideas when I have my own to work on.
However, if an economic way of storing energy can be found – there is a market for it. The problem is the economic part. Any conversion of excess power to fuel – say hydrogen – still requires the overall process to be competitive – and it is not. There were green hydrogen companies pitching but at least the ones that presented, were nowhere remotely competitive. In particular, the green hydrogen require 24/7/365 electricity supply in order to be efficient. In other words – if they aren’t operating full time, the capital costs are such that it isn’t worthwhile even with massive subsidies in place – and that ignore the physics issues of storage.
So get cracking on your idea but keep in mind the economics.
Lastly: Arcelor Mittal
Greenwashing, plain and simple. Natural gas prices are under severe supply pressure even before 2/24/2022 – it is only worse now that LNG is a thing.
Green hydrogen – as noted above in the actual companies doing it – is 100% exposed to both rising electricity prices due to rising natural gas prices, and rising prices due to demand/supply imbalances. On top of which they have physics based issues with storage and transport – i.e. hydrogen atoms literally fit between the atoms of any storage container you can think of and thus leak.
Ironically, there was even a Freeport (as in the LNG facility) rep who talked about their need for reliable and affordable electricity because the gasification process is highly electricity intensive…
Posted by: c1ue | Oct 9 2022 19:22 utc | 45
@45 c1ue:
Context:
The cap factors you cited were “instantaneous”. For one day, not the year. So, it’s tough to draw too many inferences about the viability of wind/solar from one day’s performance (cloudy? Windless?) other than to show clearly that sometimes renewables can’t deliver as currently configured.
So-called “dispatchables” can. Big difference at the moment.
The advantage of wind and solar is that the fuel is free, and the capital costs per KWH of electricity tend to be significantly lower than that provided by fossil fuels, and even nukes.
Now to the discussion:
In ERCOT’s market-driven energy procurement scheme, I’m assuming that:
a. They use the cheapest source, until it can’t deliver, then they run up the cost-reliability curve to select the cheapest power source that’s actually available
b. That means they use renewables first, then opt for the “dispatchables”. There are undoubted some modifiers to this strategy because the dispatchables aren’t going to be available (invest what’s necessary to operate) only to be used on an intermittent basis which may not provide the revenue to offset the costs plus some decent profit. So ERCOT has to guarantee them enough revenue to induce them to be available when needed.
c. As more renewables come on-stream, those new facilities will exacerbate the tension between the cheaper-to-operate renewables and the more-expensive-to-be-available dispatchables
d. As a consequence of ERCOT’s need to keep the dispatchables in the game, some – maybe a lot – of the renewables’ contribution to electricity supply has to be junked – disposed-of somehow. Not used.
Therefore, it’s possible, maybe likely, that an electricity-to-fuel facility would, at times – be able to use a resource that’s currently being thrown away: the “extra” electricity that the renewables are creating, but ERCOT isn’t buying.
If indeed that’s the case, then the questions turn to:
a. Can the elec-2-fuel system operate with intermittent inputs of electricity. You said “no”, and I’m not yet on-board with that assertion. I believe they can operate on a batch / intermittent basis. That’s research topic 1.
b. Can the elec-2-fuel system provide on-demand electricity? If the e-2-f facility is storing the fuel, and the fuel can be routed through fuel cells (almost instant turn-on), then the answer to this question is “yes”.
c. Then comes the question of “economics”. This requires more research, but here are the outlines of my current conception of the situation:
1. The capital costs of elec-fuel-elec (e-f-e) seem pretty manageable. The components aren’t that complex, they may have been in use for years. Synthesis of H2, methane and ammonia – using electricity and or heat to provide the energy to build the chem bonds (endothermic reactions, all) seems pretty mature, but I am hand-waving here. This needs to be explored (research topic 2). The fuel cells for H2, methane and ammonia are all in-service now, seem simple, use commonly-avail and cheap inputs.
2. The efficiency losses of fuel synthesis and fuel-cell ops take the form of heat. If – this is a significant if, but a manageable if – if the e-f-e plant is co-located with an industrial process that needs a lot of heat, then the heat can be used to displace energy from other sources, like natGas.
3. If the e-f-e plant produces methane, then that provides immediate-displacement for heat-input natGas purchases. If the industrial process can use H2, then the methane can be reformed down to H2. Arcelor-Mittal comes to mind. Note that H2 use in steel is for removing the oxygen from the ore (carbon is used generally now, produces CO2). Arcelor’s strategy isn’t greenwash; they’re investing too much too many places for that to be just window-dressing.
4. If the e-f-e plant produces ammonia, there’s your fertilizer feedstock
Another question is “can the e-f-e plant offer an industrial concern another revenue source”. If the e-f-e plant is stock-piling fuel, then the answer is “yes” if the e-f-e plant has a battery of fuel cells. This provides some revenue-stream flexibility, and possibly another revenue source to offset cap costs of system setup.
So those are the rough outlines of the scheme, c1ue. It is a hand-waver, as I don’t yet know the answers to these questions:
a. Can the e-f-e plant operate intermittently
b. Can the waste heat be used
c. Can methane and/or ammonia be economically synthesized using electricity / heat as main energy feedstock
d. What can the e-f-e plant charge for dispatchable electricity and finally
e. Can the adjacent/integrated industrial process be jiggered / managed to synchronize with the heat and fuel generated/available from the e-f- e plant
Also, let’s agree that H2 has storage and transmission issues because of the small-molecule problem. However, based on what I’m seeing the form of developed, paid-for facilities (like the one Arcelor bought in TX) that problem is at least sufficiently solved, or the hundreds of $mil being invested in plants in U.S., India and EU wouldn’t have gotten spent.
Lastly, I was pulling your leg when I asked if you’d pitched this idea. At the moment, you’re not convinced of its utility, and you’ve got your own ideas to prosecute, both of which I was aware of when I asked.
🙂
Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | Oct 10 2022 0:05 utc | 72
What Poverty Looks Like In A Rich Country
Although Germany is one of the richest countries in the world, signs of increasing poverty are becoming increasingly visible across the country. Homeless people sleeping rough, mothers forgoing meals in order to feed their children, and pensioners looking for discarded bottles to trade for the deposit.
According to the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband, Germany’s umbrella organization for welfare organizations, 13.8 million Germans either live in poverty or are at risk of slipping below the poverty line. The German government also voices its concerns about the growing gap between rich and poor.
…
In the EU, a person is considered to be at risk of poverty or poor if their income is less than 60% of the median in their respective country. If it is less than 50%, it is considered extreme poverty.
For Germany, this means that single people who make less than €1,148 in net income a month are considered below the poverty line. For single parents with one child, that figure is €1,492, and for a household of two parents and two children, €2,410.
…
Germany
Germany: What poverty looks like in a rich country
Amid soaring inflation, particularly for food and energy, the gap between rich and poor in Germany is widening. Incremental increases to social safety nets will do little to alleviate the problem, experts warn.
A man sleeping on a piece of cardboard in front of a large glass shop window. He is in the German capital – Berlin – in suburb of Charlottenburg.
The number of people sleeping rough and using food banks has been on the rise across the country
Although Germany is one of the richest countries in the world, signs of increasing poverty are becoming increasingly visible across the country. Homeless people sleeping rough, mothers forgoing meals in order to feed their children, and pensioners looking for discarded bottles to trade for the deposit.
According to the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband, Germany’s umbrella organization for welfare organizations, 13.8 million Germans either live in poverty or are at risk of slipping below the poverty line. The German government also voices its concerns about the growing gap between rich and poor.
The term poverty in this context does not mean that millions of people in Germany are at risk of starving or freezing to death. Instead, it refers to relative poverty, which is measured by the average living conditions of the society in question.
In 2021, Germany was ranked the 20th richest country in the world, measured by GDP per capita. This means that if you add up the value of all the goods and commodities produced in a country and divide the figure by the number of inhabitants, you get $50,700 (€52,200) per person per year in Germany on average. By comparison, that number is $136,700 in Luxembourg, the world’s richest country, and $270 in the poorest, Burundi.
2:27 min
Germany: Inflation is hitting the poor
Poverty – a question of definition
In Europe, although relatively few people live in absolute poverty, millions are affected by poverty relative to the national average. This means they live with severe material restrictions, and can only make ends meet by restricting their lifestyles in a way that the majority of the population takes for granted.
In the EU, a person is considered to be at risk of poverty or poor if their income is less than 60% of the median in their respective country. If it is less than 50%, it is considered extreme poverty.
For Germany, this means that single people who make less than €1,148 in net income a month are considered below the poverty line. For single parents with one child, that figure is €1,492, and for a household of two parents and two children, €2,410.
Social safety net does little for economic uplift
Germany considers itself to have a robust social safety net. Anyone who cannot find a job, or is unable to work, receives basic social security — a system still known colloquially as Hartz IV. This money is meant to cover basic living expenses such as rent, heating, and water, and well as health insurance.
Under this system, individuals and single parents have only €449 a month for food, clothing, household goods, personal hygiene products, and bills such as the internet, telephone, and electricity. For each child, a parent or a couple receives between €285 and €376, depending on age.
…
Under the current system, only €5 per person per day is earmarked for food, leaving poorer households to either buy less food or food of lesser quality.
…
Germany
Germany: What poverty looks like in a rich country
Amid soaring inflation, particularly for food and energy, the gap between rich and poor in Germany is widening. Incremental increases to social safety nets will do little to alleviate the problem, experts warn.
A man sleeping on a piece of cardboard in front of a large glass shop window. He is in the German capital – Berlin – in suburb of Charlottenburg.
The number of people sleeping rough and using food banks has been on the rise across the country
Although Germany is one of the richest countries in the world, signs of increasing poverty are becoming increasingly visible across the country. Homeless people sleeping rough, mothers forgoing meals in order to feed their children, and pensioners looking for discarded bottles to trade for the deposit.
According to the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband, Germany’s umbrella organization for welfare organizations, 13.8 million Germans either live in poverty or are at risk of slipping below the poverty line. The German government also voices its concerns about the growing gap between rich and poor.
The term poverty in this context does not mean that millions of people in Germany are at risk of starving or freezing to death. Instead, it refers to relative poverty, which is measured by the average living conditions of the society in question.
In 2021, Germany was ranked the 20th richest country in the world, measured by GDP per capita. This means that if you add up the value of all the goods and commodities produced in a country and divide the figure by the number of inhabitants, you get $50,700 (€52,200) per person per year in Germany on average. By comparison, that number is $136,700 in Luxembourg, the world’s richest country, and $270 in the poorest, Burundi.
2:27 min
Germany: Inflation is hitting the poor
Poverty – a question of definition
In Europe, although relatively few people live in absolute poverty, millions are affected by poverty relative to the national average. This means they live with severe material restrictions, and can only make ends meet by restricting their lifestyles in a way that the majority of the population takes for granted.
In the EU, a person is considered to be at risk of poverty or poor if their income is less than 60% of the median in their respective country. If it is less than 50%, it is considered extreme poverty.
For Germany, this means that single people who make less than €1,148 in net income a month are considered below the poverty line. For single parents with one child, that figure is €1,492, and for a household of two parents and two children, €2,410.
Social safety net does little for economic uplift
Germany considers itself to have a robust social safety net. Anyone who cannot find a job, or is unable to work, receives basic social security — a system still known colloquially as Hartz IV. This money is meant to cover basic living expenses such as rent, heating, and water, and well as health insurance.
Under this system, individuals and single parents have only €449 a month for food, clothing, household goods, personal hygiene products, and bills such as the internet, telephone, and electricity. For each child, a parent or a couple receives between €285 and €376, depending on age.
Hartz IV and other public welfare programs have been repeatedly criticized in Germany for covering only the barest of necessities. In response to this, the federal government has proposed raising the standard rate to €503 per month, beginning in 2023, and changing the name to Bürgergeld, or “citizens’ money.”
However, according to social scientist and poverty researcher Christoph Butterwege, even that will be far from enough. Butterwege told DW that at least €650 is necessary for people to live “with dignity” and, for example, to eat healthy food for every meal.
Under the current system, only €5 per person per day is earmarked for food, leaving poorer households to either buy less food or food of lesser quality.
As inflation skyrockets in Germany, more and more people will find themselves unable to make ends meet without assistance. It is becoming increasingly difficult for many to afford bread, milk, fruit, and vegetables, which are over 12% more expensive than they were a year ago. In 2020, around 1.1 million people made use of food banks. That number is now closer to 2 million.
…
In Germany, the number of people who cannot live on their income despite having a full-time job is also rising — even with a recent increase in the minimum wage. At €12 per hour, a single person with no children who works 40 hours a week would receive a net income of around €1,480 per month. Although this is nominally above the poverty line, the excess has been eaten up by inflation.
Students are also greatly affected by the situation, especially recipients of federal funding. These students receive a maximum of €934 a month, which includes money for housing and health insurance. This amount puts students well below the poverty line.
Germany has a population of 83 million according to wiki, so 13.8 million at or below poverty is 16.6% or 1 in 6. And that’s before this coming several years of de-industrialization.
So much winning…
Posted by: c1ue | Oct 11 2022 15:45 utc | 99
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