Germany's Regulatory Stricture

choi

Jack Ewing, Exports Mask Weaknesses In Germany. New York Times, Feb 23, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/2 ... -by-regulation.html

Quote:

"'On one side, we have this very dynamic, innovative, competitive and refreshingly unsubsidized export sector,' he [Andreas Wörgötter, a senior economist at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris] said. 'On the other side, there is a much less glamorous services sector which depends on barriers to entry, subsidies and not developing and reaching out for new activities.'

"If Germany built up its services sector, it might buy more products from hard-pressed trading partners like Greece or Spain, whose debt problems are closely tied to their longstanding trade deficits. Everybody would win, the argument goes.

My comment:
(a) blue law
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law

Quote:

"Laws of this type are also found in religious cultures such as in Israel, where the day concerned is Saturday rather than Sunday, and most countries with Muslim majority, where the month of Ramadan is involved.[2] Many European countries, such as Germany, ban most Sunday shopping.

"Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence to support the assertion that the blue laws were originally printed on blue paper. Rather, the word blue was used in the 17th century as a disparaging reference to rigid moral codes and those who observed them, particularly in blue-stocking, a reference to Oliver Cromwell's supporters in the parliament of 1653.
(b) Blue law in Massachusetts bans the opening of stores on Holidays. It used to ban the opening of liquor stores or sale of alcohol on Sunday, which was inactivated about a decade ago. In any case, Massachusetts blue law, as it practices, is nothing compared to those of European nations.