Bloomberg: Why East Germans Invest and Vote Differently

Political ideologies wield cultural influence long after communities move on to new systems. Separate research studies suggest that people of East German demonstrate cautious investing patterns, with preference for former state companies, as well as those associated with Russia and China rather than the United States. “The eastern ‘investing identity’ is more pronounced in communities that were home to East German Olympic champions, national heroes and sources of pride in Communist times,” explains Leonid Bershidsky for Bloomberg. “It is also amplified in election years, when people tend to be more focused on their political beliefs.” Other patterns displaying less trust and more cheating. The studies on East Germany also suggest that the behavior may have contributed to communism rather than the other way around. One study ties behavior with the Alternative for Germany party. Bershidsky concludes that “Relatively recent influences may appear to provide eminently logical explanations, but they are themselves only points in chain reactions that started in the distant past.” – YaleGlobal