Freedom in Germany

The answer to the question of whether Germany is freer than other countries in Europe, North America or any other country is not unambiguous. On the one hand, Germany is known to us as a country where there are rules for everything, where the state regulates every aspect of human life, and no one ever breaks the rules. On the other hand, freedom of speech, for example, is highly respected here. And in a negative sense, free Germany is even used as an example of modern “liberal promiscuity. Who is right? And we do not know ourselves. Let’s look into it.
Position #1: GERMANY – TOTALITARY OF THE STATE WITHOUT FREEDOM!
Adherents of this theory say that in Germany there is no freedom of speech, because you can go to prison for “Hitler’s greeting” and for various statements, which from an ethical and legal point of view are taboo for the Germans. Did you know that Germans do not sing their old folk songs, because they are associated with the Nazi regime in the middle of the twentieth century? For example, “The Song of the Germans”, written in 1841, was the anthem of the Weimar Republic, then partially used in the hymn of the Third Reich, and is now banned. Why would anyone want to ban national songs? There are lines there: “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles, Über alles in der Welt…” – “Germany, Germany over everything, over everything in the world…” Given the Nazi past, such words sound like a call for the revival of the Third Reich ideologist.
“Big Brother” in Germany does not sleep either. The security services monitor almost every step of their citizens. And we’re not just talking about collecting information about everyone, checking documents with every sneeze and being in the camera lens 24/7. German police have no equal in controlling the “dark” segments of the Internet, where weapons and drugs are sold, or in disclosing personal correspondence even from the most secure messengers.
Position #2: GERMANY – A country with total freedom of movement! STALIN IS NOT ON THEM!
Such point of view has no less adherents. In many countries of the world it is quietly possible to show the nakedness on TV? And advertising of goods from sex-shop or “strong words” on the same television? It’s all there in Germany. And since 2017, same-sex marriages have also been legalized here. Not all Germans like it. But nobody protests, because this is also part of freedom of speech.
Public drinking of alcohol? No problem! Germany was one of the first countries to switch to the concept of “safe use” of drugs. Addicts are given free syringes and allowed to take drugs under the supervision of doctors (all with taxpayers’ money). This is a rather controversial issue. But this approach: “treatment instead of punishment” is an absolute sign of freedom. In Russia, for example, civil initiatives with similar ideas are prosecuted under the law.
In the ranking of political and civil liberties, which is annually compiled by Freedom House, Germany traditionally holds the leading positions.
Politically, Germany is also free. There is a strong and independent opposition in the country. People do influence the government. Officials voluntarily give up their positions if they “have not met the expectations of the public”.
We are not ready to issue a final verdict, we are not even trying to do it. We rather give you food for thought. Every country has its own freedoms and prohibitions. The Germans definitely have their own unique system, which cannot be applied in the United States, for example. The Germans themselves call their country safe and free at the same time. After reading our material, you can decide on your personal opinion.