West Germany's efforts to escape its current technological stagnation

In 1982 the Federal Republic of Germany has had about two million unemployed; it has become enmired in stagflation; it suffers from declining industrial productivity; and it faces loss of markets from rising import restrictions abroad. These are the symptoms of the prevailing economic malaise. The causes are several: first, the shortage of engineers was probably caused by the implementation of the school reform of the 1970s, which permitted youngsters to avoid taking mathematics, physics and sciences and still graduate from the gymnasium and qualify for university. Second, labor unions, on account of high unemployment, advocate slowing down the technological advance. Third, W German industry did not computerize its machine-building industry rapidly enough and is failing to compete in world markets. Finally, the anti-business milieu has become a suppressive force.