Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.
Display:
Amerikanische Verhaltnisse--"American Conditions"--is a term of disdain in German politics, meant to suggest the inhumanity of American capitalism.

Actually, no - it more refers to the political culture. E.g., the picture they have of too much media presence, potemkin parties and all-show party conferences, lobbies stuffing politicians with money and so on.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Mon Jan 16th, 2006 at 05:25:48 PM EST
Well, it originally referred to urban slums, but it has evolved - especially over the last 5 years - to your definition, DoDO.

Dialog International
by DowneastDem (david.vickrey (at) post.harvard.edu) on Mon Jan 16th, 2006 at 06:15:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I am not so sure about this interpretation, actually I have never heard the term Americanische Verhaeltnisse. SUED-Amerikanische Verhaeltnisse, in a reference to military dictatorships.

So if the term   Americanische Verhaeltnisse really exists it must be younger than 10 years. Since I left Gemany round about that time....

by PeWi on Mon Jan 16th, 2006 at 06:48:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:

Occasional Series