刚从温暖的地中海渡假归来, 突然发现德国超市里的绝大多数食品价格明显高了许多. 还没来得及比较具体涨了几个百分点, 但两周前花同样的钱数买的食品, 现在却只能买两周前的三分之二.中国有句话: 民以食为天. 无论哪个国家, 哪个民族, 吃, 永远是第一位的. 而且吃是人生中最重要的基本组成部分. 不仅要吃, 而且还要吃饱吃好, 这样才会有精力从事一切对人类和社会发展有利的活动. 如果某些政客和食品制造商们想借此大发民财, 不断提高食品价格, 老百姓会扎紧腰带, 从吃中省钱, 继而发展到穿,用,住和行, 终究有一天会消费能力下降, 供过于求而导致经济危机.
记得两年前德国政党大选前夕, 各党派都保证不提高消费税, 可基民党刚刚上台不久, 原先保证的消费税不但增涨了, 而且还涨了三个百分点, 当然这百分之三不包括食品在内. 大选还不到两年, 现在几乎所有食品等都大幅度提高了价格, 奶制品价格增涨最大, 百分之二三十, 甚至百分之五十.
[text also in english]
二战后, 德国农业, 重工业发展迅速, 一跃成为世界经济强国. 经过近六十年的发展, 尽管德国一直处于领先地位, 但国民的贫富悬差却越来越大. 自2001年欧元替代德国马克成为流通货币之后, 物价变相涨了一倍还多. 可老百姓的收入却分文未涨. 又据Unicef数据统计, 德国属于儿童和青少年生活在贫困线以下的所有工业国中最严重的国家. 2005年有145万儿童和青少年靠社会救济生活, 而2006年这个数字却翻了一翻. 众多的单亲或失业家庭不堪生活重负, 典当家产. 这不仅仅是一个家庭问题, 还是一个严重的社会问题, 由此引发一连串的社会制安问题.
因此, 食品涨价, 不单单是价格问题, 它牵扯着无数直接或间接的社会问题. 但愿政客和食品制造商们能客观一些, 不要片面地只追求利润. 将来真的有一天, 老百姓连吃都买不起了, 还从何谈利润呢?!
A food Price, is just about a Price?
Just came back from a warm Mediterranean island and noticed that the prices of most of foods increased apparently. Haven’t got time to compare how much per cent is increased, but with the same money you paid two weeks ago, now you can only get 2/3.
There is a Chinese Proverb: the masses regard food as their heaven. Regardless which country and what nations, eating is always important and it is the most important part of life. Not just eat, but eat better that people will be able to have enough strength to do things which are good for social development. If some politicians and foods producers just want to be obsessed with the desire for gain, people would tight their trousers belts to save money on foods, clothes, use and live, etc., one day the level of consumption would get down, economic crisis would be occurred as supply exceeds demand.
I can still remember that before the German election, all parties promised not to increase the VAT. Shortly after CDU won they increased the VAT and even 3%! They guaranteed that foods are not included. Now just less than 2 years time, almost all foods prices have gone up sharply, especially the prices of dairy products rose from 20 or 30% to 50%.
After the 2nd World War, German agriculture and heavy industry developed very quickly and German became one of the strongest industry countries. 60 years passed by, although German has always been in the lead position, the gap between rich and poor has been getting bigger. In 2001 since the EURO was introduced, all prices are hiked disguisedly, but nothing was increased in people’s income. According to the statistics of the Unicef that Germany is the worst industry country in which Children and young people under 18 years old live in poverty. In 2005 there were 1.45 millions lived on social welfare, and in 2006 the number was doubled. Lots of families can not take the heavy burden so that they pawn their households. This is not only a family problem, it is a serious social problem that could cause lots of public order.
Therefore, foods prices are not just about prices, these relate to numbers of direct and indirect social issues. Wishing politicians and foods producers could look things objectively, not just seek profits. Assuming one day, if people would not be able to afford any foods, how does profits come from?
真会享受生活!去度假了。
我和妻子五年多都没有到欧洲大陆度假过,虽然我们一直在英国和爱尔兰呆着,总是觉得不是她工作繁忙,就是我学习紧张。仔细回顾一下,还真的没有时间出去走走,觉得计划这些旅行很麻烦,还不如在英国好好玩玩,比如骑车旅行,步行旅行等等,都是平日的梦想。现在还要每天早上起来送报纸,走不开。
上个星期和她一起看了一个电影,中文名字好像叫:“人生遥控器”,英文名:Click
(连接:http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/f/click/index.html )
这是一部很好的电影,值得珍藏!里面就是讲一个丈夫工作太忙了,一直没有时间陪伴家人,结果他从一段经历之后看见了自己,明白了花时间在家庭上的重要性。我和妻子也有很多感受,其实我一直是这样认为的,事业和家庭之间比较(有矛盾的时候),当然是家庭为先。
但我现在只想平凡的过过小日子,所以还没有安排度假什么的,我只想在学习之余,做饭洗衣,整理好家务就好了。或许浪漫一下也许会更好。
不过这次看了你的文章,让我觉得,下次去欧洲度假的首选应该不会是德国了,物价太贵了!哈哈。(她的护照上,欧洲大陆的签证只有德国,那还是6年前签的)
@feelingnotes
Hi, no need to worry too much! Germany is expensive, but even though, it is much cheaper than the UK, especially London 😛
IA statistics said that besides Tokyo, London is the most expensive city in the world! More and more young people can not afford buying a house or an appartment in London 😦 But you live in London, don’t you? So, nothing to be worried 😉
Life consists not only of working and studying, a holiday with family together is a wonderful thing which brings the whole family cclosely and you spend time together. If you could find a little time, just take one or two weeks off with your family and you would find that you love each other so much 🙂
hello, nice to reed you again 🙂
hope, that your trip to the Mediterranean island was great!!!
after this information, I don’t want to come to europe, too expensive, but also in the U.S. so I should go to China, much more cheaper, isn’t it???
@Michael
Hello after a long time 😉
It was really great and worthwhile: relaxing and enjoyable. Blue water, blue sky, warm weather and and and…
Yes, Europe is becoming more expensive as the same as anywhere, except Thailand and China. We all should emigrate from Europe or US to China and Thailand to have a good life there 😛
I suddenly recognised Michael’s photo is a combination of Che Guevara and a duck, I do not know what does this mean?
Che Guevara:
(see) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara
he is a hero!still is.
the duck maybe named Count Dracula,see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula
@feelingnotes
Yes, it is the combination of Che Guevara and a Duck. I realized it from the first time but no idea why is this combination. Maybe it’s just a photo montage, no meanings? 😉
@siyu, feelingnotes
it’s a montage of che and donald duck as part of an art project named DUCKOMENTA (according to the documenta in Kassel)
“通货膨胀”比大陆还快啊!
@piigoo还真没比较过呢. 😮