Unger points out that the economic power of Germany is so great it probably could have dictated the present regime of austerity without the cooperation of the EU's social democrats, even against their active hostility. Today's Germany attained what it failed to achieve in two world wars, economic (and hence political) dominance of Europe. The tragedy of social democracy is that it collaborated in the destruction of its own electorate, instead of fighting, even if a losing battle, to protect it. That betrayal did not go unnoticed.
As the European workers begin to fight back, as the communist and workers' parties begin to gain in strength, other social forces are also rapidly growing. Forces from the Dark Side are also beginning to proliferate; such as the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn in Greece ("Greece for the Greeks"), the United Kingdom Independence Party (right-wing Eurosceptic libertarians), the National Front (a "whites only" party in the UK). The Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP) and the UK Conservative Party should also take notice as they too are losing members to the "fringe." Unger says Germany too should not be too confident. Their present economic dominance may evaporate if the rest of Europe dissolves into political and social chaos due to the ongoing capitalist crisis. An ultra-right movement in Germany may become ascendent. We wouldn't want that to happen again.
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