Nice idea
But srsly, don't believe everything that's written in a book.
Some of these statements are plausible, some out of date or wrong.
Just a few remarks:
childcare - for pre-school children was at very high standards in former East Germany, less so in the western part. Currently attempts are made to improve the availability to around 30%
free university tuition - Germany being a federal system, some of its states (social democrat governed) have free university tuition, other (conservatives) have introduced fees over the past 5 years or so.
six weeks of federally mandated vacation - while mandated vacation is around 4 weeks (I think), it is true that almost every employee has six weeks
nursing care - a mandatory insurance has been introduced some years ago, to pay for old age nursing. This will however be not be enough to cover the costs - outcome open.
health care - people are allowed to "opt out" of the public health insurance plan and get private insurance instead (obviously this will be the wealthy). Also civil servants get special perks. - The system is exploited by the pharmacy industry. Germany's prices for medication are the highest in Europe. The same drugs cost much less in neighbouring countries.
Günther Horzetzky - never was labor minister, he was a high-ranking official in that ministry though.
-oOo-
A point in case, though it may not necessarily be taken as the rule:
I have found, in my very personal experience, that efficiency is much higher in Germany and that "lower ranks" of employees in the US are discouraged from taking even the minutest initiative or responsibility, probably due to inflationary threats of legal action.
A company I am familiar with, the German segment of an American company, made huge profits even though employees were slacking it for 5 out of 8 hours a day, still running circles around and subsidising the ailing American mother. Eventually the whole company (American + international segments) was bought by an investment company, and given to the sister of one of its directors as a toy. Result: the American part went chapter 11 bankrupt and is now owned by the banks. Little sister is still at the helm.
Just my
