I am so glad to live on the "right side" of the big pond, where people still care about each other. I would never trade my life in Germany for living in the US.

99,99 % of Americans I have encountered absolutely NO clue at all what communism, or socialism for that matter, actually is. The American public have been brainwashed for decades that anything that would actually benefit them or their community was communism.

Thank God I live in "communist" Germany and not in the brutally capitalist USA

I'm German and see it like Alexandre Dumas' motto: "One for all, all for one!" This describes how our society functions socially and politically.

I learned in highschool what the words "communism" and "socialism" mean. We read original texts, philosphers, scientists thoughts. I feel like USians get no education on the matter.

find it fascinating how strongly Americans reject and demonize communism without having the slightest clue what it actually is. It perfectly illustrates just how brainwashed US society is. Basically, anything that isn't American—or isn't done the American way—is automatically seen as evil or bad. Americans feel superior to everyone else and believe they’re the best—and then they get deeply offended when that isn't the case and no one is busy kissing their asses. That’s when they’d love nothing more than to go and bomb half the world.

Germany is a country run by their inhabitants with politicians working for them. In the US citizens are kept uneducated and their sole purpose is to buy stuff to keep the wealthy rich. It does not matter which of the both parties run the government, both of them belong to the rich.

I have a minor heart problem that requires minor surgery and will leave me unable to work until after this surgery. I am now on sick leave for four weeks, I'm fully paid by my employer, and I'm not paying anything at all for the whole thing, maybe parking fees or for the bus ticket... Goddamn Comunism! In the United States of America I could make a carrer as a sceleton now.

Americans throw the words communism and socialism around all the time, because they don't understand the meaning of either of them. I wonder if all the homeschooling has to do with it. ;)

Americans think Bismarck was a battleship, assuming they ever heard the name.
Would be funny to see him react to being called a communist of all things by a country stuck in the industrial revolution as far as worker's rights go.

"Communism" wird von vielen US-Bürgern auch einfach als Schimpfwort verwendet, wenn sie was nicht verstehen können

The reason why most people dislike the TV fee is not state control, but that the money is suppoed to promote public education (Bildungsauftrag), and many don't like it when the money goes into daily soaps instead of highlquality documentaries or the like.

Even one of the more popular U.S. presidents aptly summed up the difference in expectations regarding the state: "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." Yet, while I understand his point, most Germans certainly take the view that the state and the government exist to serve the citizen, not the other way around. And I agree.

When discussing compulsory education, you forgot to mention an important aspect.
Compulsory schooling in Germany also serves as a means to detect abuse, whether in the form of physical violence or sexual abuse.

In the German educational system, children are taught as early as kindergarten what adults are and aren't allowed to do. In addition, they are taught specific terminology so they can express themselves. Kindergarten, however, is not mandatory, which is why this is also taught very early on in schools through sex education (early sexual education).

If this were removed, there is a risk that a child would not know at all that what is happening to them is wrong. Furthermore, during statements—such as to the police—they would not be able to describe precisely what occurred simply because they lack the necessary vocabulary.
Schools offer children the opportunity to confide in trust teachers (guidance counselors) and social workers in cases of abuse at home. These professionals then report the situation to the proper authorities.
A child who has never attended kindergarten or school, and who has never participated in state-mandated education programs, falls through this safety net. Under certain circumstances, they are left at the mercy of the situation without even knowing that they are being wronged or how to seek help.

Therefore, compulsory education is child protection in practice, and alarm bells should ring for all of us whenever anyone wants to abolish it—because perpetrators know who to vote for to make things as easy for themselves as possible.

teaching your kids is not illegal. But they must visit the school.

Du hast gute Recherche für dein Thema gemacht und damit eine gute Zusammenfassung der Vorteile des deutschen Sozialsystems geliefert. Ich als Deutscher bin immer wieder überrascht wie positiv die von uns häufig stark kritisierten Vorzüge gegenüber anderen Ländern gesehen werden, obwohl aus der derzeitigen Dynamik in unserem Land möglicherweise Anpassungen der Systeme notwendig werden. Es ärgert uns wahrnehmen zu müssen, dass die Gelder manchmal nicht für die dafür vorgesehenen Zwecke verwendet und unnötig an anderer Stelle verpulvert werden. Auch können sich bestehende Systeme bereichern und ihren ursprünglichen Auftrag verfehlen. Deinen Beitrag finde ich gelungen und er regt zum Nachdenken an. Was unbedingt, vielleicht in einem anderen Beitrag, erklärt werden sollte ist der Unterschied zwischen sozial und sozialistisch.

The US government and BIG Money People tell you, it's 'communism' - although they don't know, what that really is, never read the 'Communist Manifest'. Same goes for most people.
It's just a 'fear-word' to disqualify everything that reduces their margin and exploitative behavior.
"You can break a finger, but five fingers are a FIST" - meaning UNITED WE'RE STRONG.
In Europe we had to fight hard to establish workers unions, workers councils, workers rights, and our whole social network - took us more than a century, but here we are !
US-people tried the same, but failed - POORMERICANS, living to work instead of working to live!
Try again, get social and strong instead of selfish and alone.

Thank you, Liz, for the very clear and precise summary, and above all for your clarifications.

Normalmente es en toda Europa

The USA are designed to benefit a small caste of ultra-rich by enslaving everyone else. It is literally one of the worst possible societies that has ever existed.