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Germany’s Hidden Crisis: Social Decline in the Heart of Europe
One of the German-speaking world’s leading sociologists lays out modern Germany’s social and political crisis and its implications for the future of the European hegemon.
Upward social mobility represented a core promise of life under the “old” West German welfare state, in which millions of skilled workers upgraded their VWs to Audis, bought their first homes, and sent their children to university. Not so in today’s Federal Republic, where the gears of the so-called “elevator society” have long since ground to a halt. In the absence of the social mobility of yesterday, widespread social exhaustion and anxiety have emerged across mainstream society. Oliver Nachtwey analyses the reasons for this social rupture in postwar German society and investigates the conflict potential emerging as a result, concluding that although the country has managed to muddle through the Eurocrisis largely unscathed thus far, simmering tensions beneath the surface nevertheless threaten to undermine the German system’s stability in the years to come.
Nachtwey’s book was recipient of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s 2016 Hans-Matthöfer-Preis for Economic Writing.
Upward social mobility represented a core promise of life under the “old” West German welfare state, in which millions of skilled workers upgraded their VWs to Audis, bought their first homes, and sent their children to university. Not so in today’s Federal Republic, where the gears of the so-called “elevator society” have long since ground to a halt. In the absence of the social mobility of yesterday, widespread social exhaustion and anxiety have emerged across mainstream society. Oliver Nachtwey analyses the reasons for this social rupture in postwar German society and investigates the conflict potential emerging as a result, concluding that although the country has managed to muddle through the Eurocrisis largely unscathed thus far, simmering tensions beneath the surface nevertheless threaten to undermine the German system’s stability in the years to come.
Nachtwey’s book was recipient of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s 2016 Hans-Matthöfer-Preis for Economic Writing.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 21, 2019
Germany’s Hidden Crisis (VERSO, 2018) – I only realized later this is a translated version of (Die Abstiegsgesellschaft: Über das Aufbegehren in der regressiven Moderne, 2016).
This is great empirical work on the ongoing deep transformation of Germany’s political economy and society. It kind of offers an alternative perspective to the myth of the German economic miracle and how Germany went from Europe’s sick man in the early 2000s due to the current near-full employment thanks to neoliberal social reforms.
The book analyses Germany’s shift to a supply-side political economy under the conservative-liberal government which came to power in 1982 and how continued global competitiveness was secured through key industrial relations reforms in the 1990s. According to this analysis, the major social and labour market reforms in the 2000s known as Agenda 2010 only contributed marginally to post Global Financial Crisis economic growth but did result in the creation of a massive new ‘under class’ and unprecedented levels of inequality – 40 per cent of Germans own nothing and have no savings. The reforms also accelerated significantly downward mobility and associated widespread insecurity, including among the middle class. This ‘crisis’ provides (part of) the background to the ascent of the far right and the erosion of traditional parties (as is the case in many or most other western countries).
This is great empirical work on the ongoing deep transformation of Germany’s political economy and society. It kind of offers an alternative perspective to the myth of the German economic miracle and how Germany went from Europe’s sick man in the early 2000s due to the current near-full employment thanks to neoliberal social reforms.
The book analyses Germany’s shift to a supply-side political economy under the conservative-liberal government which came to power in 1982 and how continued global competitiveness was secured through key industrial relations reforms in the 1990s. According to this analysis, the major social and labour market reforms in the 2000s known as Agenda 2010 only contributed marginally to post Global Financial Crisis economic growth but did result in the creation of a massive new ‘under class’ and unprecedented levels of inequality – 40 per cent of Germans own nothing and have no savings. The reforms also accelerated significantly downward mobility and associated widespread insecurity, including among the middle class. This ‘crisis’ provides (part of) the background to the ascent of the far right and the erosion of traditional parties (as is the case in many or most other western countries).
January 26, 2026
habs für die BA gelesen. hatte es schon lange im bücherregal und davor hatte ich eher selektiv mal eins, zwei kapitel für bildungsformate durchstöbert - alles in allem ein sehr gutes buch. um die (sozial-)politischen und gesellschaftlichen entwicklungen seit den 90ern zu verstehen, eine ganz klare empfehlung. manchmal ist mir beim lesen gedanklich der rote faden abhanden gekommen, aber no big deal. inzwischen merkt man, dass es dieses jahr 10 jahre alt wird, weil sich aus der perspektive einfach extrem viel verändert und weiterentwickelt hat. dafür lohnt es sich aber, rezente lektüre von nachtwey zu durchforsten.
November 23, 2020
ich wollte das buch schon seit 2 jahren lesen und habs jetzt endlich gemacht und mir hats sehr sehr sehr gut gefallen. spannende linke kritik der aktuellen deutschen Gesellschaft inklusive schöner kapitalismuskritik.
es geht darum, dass aufgrund der nicht realen idee des endlosen wirtschaftswachstums im kapitalismus, es nachdem dieser wachstum ans ende gelangt (was vor einigen Jahrzenten war), die gesellschaftlichen Klassen nur noch weiter auseinandertreiben.
Der Begriff der regressiven Moderne war spannend. Am Ende wurden diverse Protestbewegungen erläutert und wie diese entstehen konnten in der heutigen Zeit.
super analyse, sehr gut lesbar und viel gelernt, recommend 10/10
es geht darum, dass aufgrund der nicht realen idee des endlosen wirtschaftswachstums im kapitalismus, es nachdem dieser wachstum ans ende gelangt (was vor einigen Jahrzenten war), die gesellschaftlichen Klassen nur noch weiter auseinandertreiben.
Der Begriff der regressiven Moderne war spannend. Am Ende wurden diverse Protestbewegungen erläutert und wie diese entstehen konnten in der heutigen Zeit.
super analyse, sehr gut lesbar und viel gelernt, recommend 10/10
December 24, 2025
Es ist verrückt, wie er 2015 schon alles perfekt beschrieben hat
June 22, 2023
Viel gelernt:
- Frauen arbeiten heute mehr als in der sozialen Moderne (oft aber in unterbezahlten Jobs)
- Die Individualisierung führt dazu, dass es kein Klassengefühl mehr gibt
- Anstatt im „Fahrstuhl“ stehen wir einzeln auf „Rolltreppen“
- Eine Kantine gilt als Dienstleistung eines Betriebs und verfälscht Statistik, dass viele in DL arbeiten
- Die Bekämpfung von Diskriminierung kommt voran, wobei die Vertikale weniger beachtet wird (resp. sogar verneint wirs, es gäbe keine Klassen)
- Die untere Mitte verliert Leute nach unten (Abstieg)
- Ehen werden häufiger auf gleicher ökonomischer Stufe vollzogen (Arzt und Anästhasistin & nicht mehr Krankenschwester)
- Frauen arbeiten heute mehr als in der sozialen Moderne (oft aber in unterbezahlten Jobs)
- Die Individualisierung führt dazu, dass es kein Klassengefühl mehr gibt
- Anstatt im „Fahrstuhl“ stehen wir einzeln auf „Rolltreppen“
- Eine Kantine gilt als Dienstleistung eines Betriebs und verfälscht Statistik, dass viele in DL arbeiten
- Die Bekämpfung von Diskriminierung kommt voran, wobei die Vertikale weniger beachtet wird (resp. sogar verneint wirs, es gäbe keine Klassen)
- Die untere Mitte verliert Leute nach unten (Abstieg)
- Ehen werden häufiger auf gleicher ökonomischer Stufe vollzogen (Arzt und Anästhasistin & nicht mehr Krankenschwester)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
maybe
December 21, 2018
July 9, 2021
Almanya hakkında kafamdaki sezgileri somutlaştıran bir kitap. Devamını yazıcam bi ara.
March 5, 2025
A strange book to read nearly a decade later – it's written very much from the left and reflects on changes to the labour market in recent decades but not ones that are restricted to Germany. Having expected it to be a prescient exploration of the real structural weaknesses in the German economy that have come to the fore recently, they didn't feature at all.
July 2, 2019
A compact and nice overview of the societal and political effects of Germany's turn to neoliberalism. Put shortly, Germany's middle is collapsing due to the gutting of social services and the liberalization of the labor market which has increased downward mobility and precarity for lower and solid middle-class people.
This was made possible by Germany's political-economic turn against its earlier corporatist labor-industrial productive regime. Yes, manufacturing jobs have declined, but not supporting services as these jobs have been increasingly shifted to the service industry; but many of these industries directly support industrial sectors through cleaning, logistics, and other service jobs.
The result is an increasing divide between formally employed skilled workers and the precariat supporting them. He uses some nice images to illustrate this, including some factories in Germany where full-time employees and agency workers are actually segregated from each other by a blue line that runs through the shop floor.
Of course, it's not as dramatic in Germany as in the US, but Nachtwey makes a convincing argument that the reforms since the 2000s have created a permanent underclass which has stoked the far-right and given rise to nativist resentment among former upwardly mobile population groups (particularly East German men).
The book gets 4 stars in my opinion since it is heavily macro and a bit lacking on original research. It's a good overview and intro into the topic, but not much is new here, which means it works well as a nice literature review. But if you've read any David Harvey, this will be a good refresher. It also works in fairly broad strokes which mean a lot of specifics to Germany go underanalyzed. I would have preferred some more specific case studies or illustrations of issues. But perhaps that was beyond the scope of this book.
This was made possible by Germany's political-economic turn against its earlier corporatist labor-industrial productive regime. Yes, manufacturing jobs have declined, but not supporting services as these jobs have been increasingly shifted to the service industry; but many of these industries directly support industrial sectors through cleaning, logistics, and other service jobs.
The result is an increasing divide between formally employed skilled workers and the precariat supporting them. He uses some nice images to illustrate this, including some factories in Germany where full-time employees and agency workers are actually segregated from each other by a blue line that runs through the shop floor.
Of course, it's not as dramatic in Germany as in the US, but Nachtwey makes a convincing argument that the reforms since the 2000s have created a permanent underclass which has stoked the far-right and given rise to nativist resentment among former upwardly mobile population groups (particularly East German men).
The book gets 4 stars in my opinion since it is heavily macro and a bit lacking on original research. It's a good overview and intro into the topic, but not much is new here, which means it works well as a nice literature review. But if you've read any David Harvey, this will be a good refresher. It also works in fairly broad strokes which mean a lot of specifics to Germany go underanalyzed. I would have preferred some more specific case studies or illustrations of issues. But perhaps that was beyond the scope of this book.
January 26, 2019
For many years, Germany has been admired and envied by the British centre left as an example of a dynamic economy and social justice that can guarantee the rights of British workers through the EU better than the current opposition. Battery deftly analyses the collapse of the German model of dissemination and high welfare rights.
With a third of female workers on the minimum wage and the removal of union negotiations from 75℅ of staff, this is a strange version of Social Europe. Battery chronicles the rise of in-work poverty, the erosion of workers rights and the growth of downward social mobility and precarious employment. The collapse of Social modernity with a shift to a more stratified society and real fear despite the significant benefits to German business of a single market that does shrink other economies in the UK shows the ideological cynicism of Labour politicians who are the EU as a more effective defender of their constituents when both Germany and France are considering removing more employment rights is worrying. The SPD' s embrace of this approach has seen Labour's German counterpart shrink to votes of 20% and a supporting role in Merkel's dismantling of the social state.
Read and reflect
With a third of female workers on the minimum wage and the removal of union negotiations from 75℅ of staff, this is a strange version of Social Europe. Battery chronicles the rise of in-work poverty, the erosion of workers rights and the growth of downward social mobility and precarious employment. The collapse of Social modernity with a shift to a more stratified society and real fear despite the significant benefits to German business of a single market that does shrink other economies in the UK shows the ideological cynicism of Labour politicians who are the EU as a more effective defender of their constituents when both Germany and France are considering removing more employment rights is worrying. The SPD' s embrace of this approach has seen Labour's German counterpart shrink to votes of 20% and a supporting role in Merkel's dismantling of the social state.
Read and reflect
June 11, 2017
Habe das Buch nach einer Diskussion jetzt wieder zur Hand genommen und fertig gelesen. Nach 100 Seiten "ja eh" und viel Ökonomie finden sich einige schöne Gedanken, etwa:
Kurzum: Je mehr eine Gesellschaft auf Chancengleichheit setzt, desto ungleicher wird sie und desto legitimer werden die Ungleichheiten. [...] Die Verlierer werden dadurch die verdienten Verlierer und die Gewinner die verdienten Gewinner.
Alles in allem eine klare Leseempfehlung.
Kurzum: Je mehr eine Gesellschaft auf Chancengleichheit setzt, desto ungleicher wird sie und desto legitimer werden die Ungleichheiten. [...] Die Verlierer werden dadurch die verdienten Verlierer und die Gewinner die verdienten Gewinner.
Alles in allem eine klare Leseempfehlung.
August 29, 2023
es war etwas mühsam durchzukommen, vielleicht lag es am stil, sehr viele eingeschobenen quellen, viele verweise. man merkt dem buch auch jetzt schon die zeit an, das ist ein bisschen das problem bei gesellschaftlichen analysen, es geht doch relativ schnell weiter (bsp. ob le pen vielleicht doch 2017 präsidentin wird oder ob die die afd weiterhin zuläufer findet), das ist ein bisschen schade, man hinkt damit etwas hinterher. ansonsten ganz informativ (fahrstuhleffekt (ulrich beck) wird zur rolltreppe, solzialer abstieg, neoliberalismus und ausbreitung prelärer beschäftigungsverhältnisse, bedeutungsgewinn und verlust von gewerkschaften, protestbewegungen wie occupy, podemos und stuttgart 21). aber so ganz viel neues war jetzt auch nicht dabei. vielleicht ja doch zum zeitpunkt der veröffemtlichung?
June 2, 2025
the bibliography nachtwey uses is really strong and a lot of his empirical arguments on german/western industrial decline have since become canonised in contemporary policy debates. what is even more remarkable to someone reading this a decade after publication, is the lack of alarmism that one associates with authors like nachtwey (see his work on libertarian authoritarianism) – it almost seems as if it had not yet dawned on us what kinds of violence western regression actually induces. given this lack and the failure to more accurately envision what would happen due to (ongoing) regression, i wonder whether nachtwey would nowadays not answer his question ('what kind of society was germany in the 2010s?') a bit differently.
February 2, 2020
Fantastic overview of the shift from welfare states to market societies from the 1980s to the 2000s (part 1), plus an overview of the inequality that the German economy has created -- mainly by favouring the middle class at the expense of the precariat (part 2). "Now we have a class society without class struggle."
October 21, 2019
As a researcher, Oliver Nachtwey thoroughly delves into current crisis not only in Germany but also all around Europe and even America.
His use of historical examples and data help better map out the situation.
His use of historical examples and data help better map out the situation.
November 4, 2017
Rundflug zur Entwicklung der modernen Gesellschaft - wenig überraschend, aber dennoch als Bestandsaufnahme sehr lesenswert
Read
October 20, 2019Die Vergabe von Sternchen lasse ich mal. Das Buch war teilweise informativ, insgesamt schlüssig und auch erhellend. Positiver Eindruck, guter Mann.
January 7, 2021
Sehr gut geschriebene Analyse der Entwicklung vom Nachkriegskapitalismus hin zur "Abstiegsgesellschaft".
August 19, 2021
Solide Analyse und angenehm zu lesen. Letzteres ist für die potentiell trockene soziologische/politische Materie ja nicht selbstverständlich.
October 6, 2023
A reading experience interrupted by three proprietary names every two sentences...
May 5, 2025
Pretty good sociological pov of German inequality. Would've preferred more of a historical pov though
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews