The Politics of Business

This appears to be getting ugly, fast.

"The smouldering row between Germany's ruling Social Democratic party and big business turned into a shouting match at the weekend, as Franz Münterfering, the SPD's chairman, drew up a "locust list" of 12 figureheads of capitalism that he said were a scourge on the country.

"Mr Münterfering, who a fortnight ago said private equity investors were like "swarms of locusts" descending on Germany intent on sacking workers and making quick profits, suggested in a document leaked to the local media on Saturday that these "anti-social radicals" were preparing to destroy corporate Germany wholesale."

"...one senior banker said: 'This is nothing but blatant electioneering. The irony is, Münterfering is doing just what he is accusing capitalist investors of doing - namely acting for short-term gain, without a thought to the long-term consequences.'"

Politicians, posing? Perish the thought.

But for a nation that dug itself out of its post-WWII nadir by embracing capitalism, the prevalence of such attitudes is disconcerting.