German success

I refer to the excellent first article in the “Rebuilding Better” series (Weekend Herald, November 5) by Liam Dann. The argument from Oliver Hartwich about the causes of the success of the West German economy after WWII appears somewhat misleading. West Germany was occupied by the Allied Powers after the war for several years and, to that extent, can only be considered as a centralised economy. In addition, it was assisted with millions of dollars under the US Marshall Plan. In stark contrast, Attlee’s Britain also had much of its infrastructure destroyed, was saddled with huge debt and received no financial assistance. While the success of West Germany is to be lauded, it cannot be the poster child for modern neo-liberal economics, which did not even exist as a working system then.

Alan Glover, Waiuku.