We still live in Germany in what seems to be the best of all worlds, amidst an economic upswing that increasingly resembles a boom. However, appearances can be deceiving - the new German economic miracle stands on shaky ground. The successes and thus the economic development are based on industries we have known since the German Empire: automotive, machinery and plant engineering, and chemicals dominate. In contrast, we have largely lost our footing in new sectors. The government invests in the wrong areas and continues to cut back in the wrong places. Although revenues are flowing in like never before and we take pride in the black zero thanks to low interest rates, the government focuses on consumption - higher pensions and social spending - instead of investing in the future of the country. A glance at the decaying infrastructure and the education system is enough.