Today I got around to re-read some essays from Kurt Tucholsky, a german author, journalist and satirist. One, called “A short outline of national economics”, had a paragraph I found exceptionally fitting for the situation of today. The essay itself was written sometimes in the 1920´s or 30´s:
“Every economy relies on the credit system, that is, the false assumption the other one will pay back money loaned to him. If he doesn´t do so, a so-called supporting measure is undertaken, by which all, except the state, will profit. Such a collapse can be recognized by the fact that the people are asked to have confidence. They oftenly have nothing else anymore anyway at this point.”
“Every economy relies on the credit system, that is, the false assumption the other one will pay back money loaned to him. If he doesn´t do so, a so-called supporting measure is undertaken, by which all, except the state, will profit. Such a collapse can be recognized by the fact that the people are asked to have confidence. They oftenly have nothing else anymore anyway at this point.”
sounds like a smart man. and yes, very fitting to the modern day situation indeed.
ReplyDeleteHe was smart, but also very biased towards a leftist viewpoint.
ReplyDeleteI would like to present more from him, but most of his worked is so closely linked to german language, history and culture that it is quite impossible to translate it without destroying completely what he tried to bring across.