GDP

When countries measure growth using GDP, they distort the lives of individuals. One easy way to raise GDP is to bring in immigrants. For example. In 2000 the GDP of Germany was $1.7 trillion but in 2024 it had risen to $5.7 trillion which signifies significant growth. However, when measuring GDP per capita a very different picture appears. The GDP per capita in 2000 was $59,000 and in 2024 it was $54,000. While the country grew at a solid rate, individual growth was stagnant. In the past 24 years Germany has brought in 23 million immigrants and the total population of the country is 80 million. Germany’s native population declined over these years while the immigrant population increased. The new immigrants did not have the skills to warrant higher wages and were far less productive than the native Germans. Just using GDP does not give an accurate picture of how the average person is living.