Why don't construction prices go down?

Due to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the looming conflict over Taiwan, Germany is slowly coming back to reality.

I also hear this more and more often among my acquaintances by now. What exactly is that supposed to mean? Someone might explain it to me. My acquaintances then say: "Yes, there is THE(!) reality, which has not been acknowledged in Germany for decades(!)." I then ask: But the two wars and an emerging conflict over Taiwan are not decades old, but relatively NEW. What does that have to do with THE reality that supposedly has gone unrecognized by Germany for decades? No answer to that, from anyone. Can I get one from you now?

Even though I am not the answer provider you wanted, I would like to attempt an answer.

The topic is certainly very diverse and complex and very difficult to summarize in a few sentences. One can only touch upon it.

It starts with demographics, education, etc. Decades ago, there was an attempt to solve the emerging demographic catastrophe with immigration. A failed family policy with today’s dozens of genders speaks a clear language. We lack offspring. Well-educated youth can no longer be found; instead, there are youths unwilling to integrate who live in parallel societies.

An ever-flattening educational level has accelerated the decline. Key industries were lost and where Germany lost its leading market position in many areas. 95 percent of students with a migration background in Berlin schools. Districts in West German metropolises with 70 - 80 percent migration share.

All this is associated with extreme costs borne on the backs of the wage earners, with ever-increasing burdens up to the minimization of the middle class. Lowest pension levels and home ownership in the EU. Although the strongest economic nation in the EU, we have the lowest median wealth.

The Bundeswehr, the infrastructure, the healthcare system, the education system have all been ruined by austerity measures.

And now, where various wars are raging, Germany is the largest arms supplier. Both to Ukraine and to Israel. All with money we don’t have.

I don’t want to elaborate on this any further.

I view everything from my house very calmly, the housing market or construction sector no longer interest me luckily. I couldn't care less about other people's problems.

I see everything from my house completely relaxed, I’m luckily no longer interested in the housing market or construction sector. I couldn’t care less about other people’s worries.

Maybe you are in the wrong forum then?

Maybe you are in the wrong forum?

Oh, are there only these two topics here? Thanks for the tip, I thought there were so many different topics from interior design to garden design.. yes, wrong forum Saved my day

What is populist about that? We have to become realistic and reasonable in this country at some point. I have nothing against refugees. Nobody can afford it anymore. Maybe some people should slowly wake up from their prosperity bubble.

Refugee-related costs of the states and the federal government are about 20 billion per year, of which 6 billion is the federal government. The federal "defense" (war) budget has continuously increased from 30 billion in 2014 to over 50 billion in 2022 and is supposed to rise further to about 80 billion in 2024 in addition to the 100 billion special debt in 2023 and the following years. The last Growth Opportunities Act costs the federal government and especially the municipalities about 6 billion per year in total – the money mostly goes to companies with high local profits.

The Bundeswehr, the infrastructure, the healthcare system, education system have all been ruined by austerity cuts.

Bundeswehr see above. The healthcare system was not ruined by austerity cuts but privatized, and accordingly the financial flows were redirected. Infrastructure and the education system were and are being ruined by austerity cuts (although money is not the only problem with the latter).

"Yes, there is THE (!) reality, which has not been acknowledged in Germany for decades (!)."

but the two wars and a brewing conflict over Taiwan are not decades old, but relatively NEW.

I also wouldn’t know in which reality "Germany" (who is that anyway?) should suddenly wake up. Maybe it is the arrogance and self-understanding of German politicians, especially abroad? That outside of the German press no one takes our politicians seriously anymore? Maybe that will be noticed in Berlin at some point? That it is more sensible to make politics for the interests of one’s own population ("no matter what my German voters say") and at the same time to seek and support diplomatic solutions to conflicts instead of fueling them. That is also in one’s own long-term interest. Maybe it is also the reality to no longer be (if ever) the center of the world, but only an appendage of the self-proclaimed world's greatest exceptional nation? And that this ass-kissing can backfire when you try to wage an economic war against your largest raw material supplier and at the same time against your largest upstream supplier, sales market, and meanwhile virtually largest economy in the world at your own expense and the cost of the domestic economy (and ultimately also people) for the benefit of this nation? By the way, the conflict in Israel / Gaza / West Bank is already older than I am and probably older than you. The conflict with Russia was visible at the latest since the planned eastward expansion around Ukraine and since the Maidan coup in 2014 at the latest (the USA invested many billions of dollars in this coup, quite openly) it has been an armed conflict. And Taiwan / China is also older than you and me. Until 2010, there was a rapprochement there. Since 2016, when the political leadership in Taiwan changed, it has been different. Now there are politicians financed and also trained in the USA (studies, consulting activities, etc.) in power there who represent a strongly USA-oriented policy, i.e. virtually against mainland China.