The head of Diakonie in Saxony, Dietrich Bauer, is concerned about social peace in Germany. The reason for this is the billions invested by the federal government in a special fund for infrastructure and defense and the associated debate about possible cuts to social benefits. "The welfare state helps to maintain social peace. This peace is being jeopardized simply by the discussion about cutting social benefits," the 65-year-old told the German Press Agency in Dresden.
Bauer believes that the argument that the economy must be booming first in order to earn money and be able to spend it is wrong. "The welfare state itself contributes to economic prosperity. You can't simply say that the economy has the advantage and only then does the welfare state follow. Rather, they are tubes that communicate with each other." If there were no daycare centers close to home, for example, young parents would not be able to work to the same extent and contribute to the country's prosperity.
