Ludwig Erhard = Gordon Brown?

[lizziec]

Recently I've been reading The Berlin Wall: 13 August 1961 - 9 November 1989 by Frederick Taylor (which, by the way, is an excellent book that I am highly recommending), and a couple of paragraphs jumped out at me as being completely and utterly appropriate to describe Gordon Brown and everything that is happening at the moment. As George Santayana apparently once said "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Perhaps Gordon Brown should pay closer attention to the lessons History has for us :)

"In the September 1965 elections, the SPD made further gains. Brandt again failed to achieve victory, but the Social Democrats' share of the vote continued to edge upwards. The conservatives' share continued its decline, while the liberal Free Democrats lost quite heavily. But the conservative/liberal coalition, led by Adenauer's successor, Ludwig Erhard, hung on to power.

As Economics Minister, Professor Erhard had been the architecht of the West German 'economic miracle' after 1949, but, like so many long-serving successful second-in-commands, once he finally heaved himself into the top position he swiftly confirmed why he had always been the deputy and not the chief. Erhard proved inept at both party-politicking and foreign policy. Moreover, for the first time since the end of the war, German industry went into recession and a 'black hole' appeared in the state finances. With half a million West Germans unemployed - paradisiacal, at just over 2 per cent of the work-force, as this may seem by twenty-first-century standards - in 1966 there was anxious talk of a return to the 1930s." (Pages 512-513)

See what I mean? ;) If you changed some words (Erhard for Brown, West German for Britain etc) it could have been written about our Iron Chancellor Prime Minister.

ETA: I just realised I don't have a history icon! :O This will have to be rectified!

Comments

[princess-cutter.livejournal.com]

Heh, you made me real life "lol". Sounds like an interesting book *wants*

[alisondh.livejournal.com]

I feel a bit sorry for Gordon Brown, actually. Since he's become PM, we've had floods causing chaos, threats of terror attacks at Glasgow Airport and elsewhere, and now a major economic crisis stemming from the collapse of the American sub-prime loan market, none of which have really been his fault. He doesn't really come across very well and the impression you get is that a lot of senior Labour MPs would like to see him replaced as leader, but he really hasn't had any luck at all!

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. He's waited years and years for his moment and then when he gets it suddenly everything falls apart around him.