Germany vs. Italy: Comparison and Contrast - 1142 Words | Essay Example (2024)

Introduction

Germany and Italy are young nations with membership in European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Italy lies south of Germany and below Austria, but the former has a quiet lifestyle while the latter is culturally noisy (Ibanez). Indeed, even the German film industry still lags behind that of Italy in performance and entertainment due to a reserved tradition (Klinkhammer and Clemens 1).

Germany is a federal parliamentary republic that got its independence in 1955 AD, whereas the Italian republic was free by 1861 AD (“Country Comparison”). Both countries’ populations are Pacific with a rich culture, but Germany is located in Western Europe, whereas Italy is in Southern Europe (Loomis 1). The two countries are sometimes thought to be incompatible varieties of Europe due to their ideological differences in microeconomic issues (Piattoni and Ton 301). There is much to learn in both countries, given that they have rich cultures yet contrast in many ways.

The reason for comparing the two countries is that they have many comparable features, and expounding more on the status of each may help expatriates, immigrants, and tourists decide on their ideal destination.

What stands out in the two countries is the averseness of Germany towards military contingents when compared to Italy, which desires to participate in multinational military operations actively (Loomis 3). Their historical participation strongly influenced the stance of the two countries in the World Wars, where Germany was left with guilt and shame for defeat while Italy had low power. Although Italy has a more expressive and accommodative culture with better gender equality, Germany has a better economy, a low crime rate, and better healthcare and education.

Gender of Leadership

Women in European countries are increasingly getting more formal employment which drives the increase of an egalitarian society. However, there are differences regarding the ideals that European societies are promoting regarding how men and women should engage in paid and unpaid work (Grunow et al. 43).

Although both nations have a good reputation for gender equality, there are differences regarding how they embrace labor. Noteworthy, whereas women in Italy only earn 5% less than men, Germany has a deficit of 21% (Gifford). Germany is considered mediocre in closing the gender gap. German culture is more patriarchal, and women may prefer staying at home and taking care of children while the man seeks money.

Income

Germany is more of a high-income earner and is among the top richest countries globally. The average income in Germany is 51 040 US dollars compared to 35,710 US dollars in Italy (“Country Comparison”). Germany has a low unemployment rate of 3.5% and a good corruption index compared to Italy, whose rate of unemployment is 9.8% with a moderate corruption index (“Country Comparison”). Moreover, Germany taxes at a lower rate and has a better quality of life.

Germany has active labor policies compared to the passive rules in Italy (Bazzani). The implication is that a person is likely to experience more sanctions and restrictions when starting an entrepreneurial activity in Germany.

Education

Italy and Germany have advanced education with several world-class universities, which many people find appealing. People from English-speaking countries must first learn about Italy or Germany, depending on their chosen country. In a world where there is an increase in international integration, being bilingual is an advantage, but some people can find it hectic to start learning new languages. Germany offers free education from basic to tertiary levels for both local and international students, while Italy charges tuition fees (“Studying in Italy vs. Germany”).

Free education makes Germany highly competitive such that only excellent students can be selected for admission, unlike in Italy, where learners with fair grades have a chance of gaining admission. However, exchange and international students should understand that the cost of living is slightly higher in Germany at 800 to 1000 euros, average student expenditure compared to Italy’s 600 to 900 Euros (“Studying in Italy vs. Germany”). Thus, regarding education, both countries have lucrative offers.

Healthcare

Germany has a much better healthcare system and insurance coverage for citizens compared to Italy. For instance, the world data gives the former a 96% and the latter 87% interns quality of life (“Country Comparison”). The overall quality of life is much better in Germany due to its devolved institutions. In Germany, for a person to receive any healthcare services, they must have insurance. Conversely, the Italy health system provides funding for all treatment from the national treasury store (“Studying in Italy vs. Germany”). However, expatriates and other immigrants without citizen status have to pay to be attended to at a subsidized fee.

Crime

Crime rates significantly affect the attractiveness of a country to investors and tourists and may impact the rate of development. The crime rate in Italy is 48.51% which is more than two times that of Germany, which stands at 23.57% (“Country Comparison”). The only criminal activity where German statistics outweigh that of Italy is rape cases. Otherwise, other issues, such as violence, robbery, homicides, and theft, are higher in Italy. The implication is that people are likely to fear for their safety in Italy because the probability of losing belongings and even life to the robbers are high.

In both countries, women are more likely to be victims of homicide and violent crimes, often perpetrated by people they know (Terranova and Margherita 73). Countries that boast of being developed should try to protect their people, especially those from marginalized groups like women, persons living with disabilities, and immigrants, against abuse. Otherwise, Germany appears to be performing better in mitigating criminal activities, which is good for living in the region.

Conclusion

I like Italy for its fun and lively culture as well as a lower cost of living but detest the fact that it has higher crime rates. Comparatively, Germany is attractive because of its high income, free education, and stance on the military. However, it is unfortunate that the country still has significant disparities in the earnings of men and women. Moreover, the culture of quietness can be reserved for someone like me who is fun-loving. I would not mind learning an additional language but given a preference, I prefer Germany to Italy.

It was surprising to know that Germans are now war aversive, given their roles in past World Wars. I think I have always viewed Germany as a country that is ready and willing to engage the military at the slightest provocation. With regards to Italy, I was surprised to learn that they have relatively higher levels of corruption and crime rate. I think such vices continue to pull them down, making it impossible to realize steady growth. The two Pacific countries are both attractive destinations but given a choice, I would choose to go to Germany, which appears to be a better place to invest and raise a family.

Works Cited

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Fontana, Nicola, et al. “Historical Roots of Political Extremism: The Effects of Nazi Occupation of Italy.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017.

Gifford, Charlotte. “Why Germany’s Gender Pay Gap is One of the Widest in Europe.”European CEO – The Premier Content Portal for CEOs. Web.

Grunow, Daniela, et al. “Gender Ideologies in Europe: A Multidimensional Framework.” Journal of Marriage and Family, vol. 80, no. 1, 2018, pp. 42–60.

Ibanez, Frédéric. “Cultural Differences Between Germany and Italy.”Optilingua | Linguistic and Translation Services. Web.

‌Jordan, Matthew Rossi. “The Risk of Monetary Integration: How Italy and Germany’s Cultural and Economic Differences are Incompatible with Shared Monetary Policy and Jeopardize the Stability of the Union.” 2020. Senior thesis, 1-49. Web.

Klinkhammer, Lutz, and Clemens Zimmermann. Cinema as a Political Media : Germany and Italy Compared, 1945-1950s. Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Publishing, 2021.

‌Loomis, Nathan. German and Italian Aversion to War: Background, Contemporary Issues, and Security Implications for Allies. Naval Postgraduate School, 2018. Web.

Piattoni, Simona, and Ton Notermans. “Introduction to “Italy and Germany: Incompatible Varieties of Europe?”” German Politics, vol. 30, no. 3, 2021, pp. 301–318.

“Studying in Italy vs. Germany: The Ultimate Comparison.” Expatrio.com. Web.

Terranova, Claudio, and Margherita Zen. “Women Victims of Intentional Homicide in Italy: New Insights Comparing Italian Trends to German and U.S. Trends, 2008–2014.” Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, vol. 53, 2018, pp. 73–78.