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Schule > Englisch > Landeskunde > USA - Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika > Germany and the USA - A Comparison of the two political systems

Germany and the USA - A Comparison of the two political systems

There are many legends and rumours about the USA and Germany but the most storied one is probably the relationship amongst this two countries.
Before I'll start my discussion, I'll name some similarities and disparities. No doubt the major commonality is that Germany as well as the USA are representing a democratically structured country. Alike both of this countries are living of economy and industry. Without their great industry and economy, Germany and America wouldn't are able to get into the act in the world affairs.
Both, the United States and Germany, are known for their economic potential. On this account many immigrants went still to America or Germany, these immigrants have the idea or the dream of a better life and employment there. Short both are countries of immigration and not emigration. The listed facts might be the most important similarities.
But in contrast there are a lot more differences inchoate with the size till the philosophy of life of the population.
The political system is completely different. In Germany there are many parties with different opinions, in America there are only two parties which are peppered with different opinions. Just as well the American voting system to the German voting system is different in many points. In America you vote directly a head of a party for president. The people vote an electoral college those who vote for the president. You can call this first-past-the-post system (majority vote system).
In Germany is that a bit diverse, we vote for a party and delegates and after the election the parties in power select a chancellor. The election runs after the scheme of a majority vote system, proportional representation and five-per cent rule.
That are some differences in the political system, but the political aims are also diverse. Germany is a welfare state with insurances for everyone, social help and much more. In contrast Obama wants to insert health insurance coverage and encounters on incomprehension by the Republicans and partly in the nation. Those facts aren't for a long time yet all differences, but this named things are actual and currently in discussion.
So as you can see Germany and the Unites States are quite different. For those reasons I'm wondering whether a good German-American relationship can exist. But astonishingly it exists an American-German relationship; beyond many people allude to a strong friendship. When you know some background information it's amazing that America and Germany are able to interact in harmony with each other, even though approximate 15 per cent of the US population have German roots. Because in both World Wars America was a wartime enemy an after the wars America has had helped Germany. For example Germany has had received credits from America; and the United States also has had conducted the Marshall-Plan. In my view America was in the past for Germany something like a big brother who helped Germany and guided Germany through difficulties.
Admittedly today the situation is different. Today America needs help from Germany in the fight against the Taliban and Terrorism since 9/11.
Maybe you can see this as a compensation for the World Wars.
But maybe is Germany still indebted to America. However it doesn't authorize the USA to spy on Germany. The latest incidents with the NSA and the spy program Prism have eroded the American image by the Germans. Does it lead to the breaking of the American-German relationship? - When you ask some citizen you'll get the answer yes, but when you ask some politicians or economists they'll negotiate. They know the relevance of a faultless partnership between Germany and America. Than without the United States our regard and importance in the world affairs would reduce.
Even if we no longer just a dependent country we need America as partner and not as a rival. It's a pity that the United States has still the image of a little brother or lesser partner when they think about Germany.
In my opinion the American view of Germany should be generally changed, because we're on the same level. Nevertheless it exists a relationship whether a kind of a patchy relationship. But to put it in a nutshell in a kind of way the relationship is inhomogeneous, but a inhomogeneous relationship with America, the country which is known as the most powerful country all over the world, is better than no.

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