From Oct. 9 to 11, I attended the German American Conference at Harvard University, an event meant to bring together academics, professionals and politicians to consider the challenges and successes that both Germany and America face. Despite the differences between the colliding languages and cultures, one thing stuck out to me. We, as people and countries, are much more alike than we think, and we need to use that to our advantage.
Germany and America are both within the top three economies in the world, with Investopedia nominal GDP estimates of just over $32 trillion and $5 trillion, respectively. Joining them in the top three is China, whose GDP has exploded from just over $1 trillion in 2000 to nearly $20 trillion in 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
While Germany and America are both mature economies and lower growth is to be expected, Germany has been experiencing prolonged economic stagnation, and America is facing slowing job growth and continued affordability issues. At the core of these countries’ problems is a lack of innovation.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, China leads the world in a variety of innovation measures such as scientific output, international patents filed and electric battery prices. This push is coming from the top. For the first time in years, China’s government has spent more on research and development than Europe as a whole, according to International Energy Agency (IEA).
Germany, long known as a leader in innovation and machines, is losing its drive with slow technology adoption and a dying “start-up culture.” This sentiment was clear at the German American Conference, where German panelists shared frustrations with Germany’s bureaucracy and its ability to pivot to rival China.
America faces a different problem. As large incumbent companies swallow larger market shares, they are focused on defending their market position, rather than innovating to grow. This shift in the direction of spending creates what researchers call “the Innovation Paradox,” where spending continues to increase, but productivity doesn’t improve with it.
From a sociopolitical standpoint, Germany and America’s shared issues could not be clearer. In September of this year, Germany’s far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland or the AfD, nearly won the majority of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, a state that was part of the former German Democratic Republic.
The AfD has been on the rise for years, nearly doubling its support from 2021 to 2025, and many are worried that its anti-immigrant, nationalist and anti-European Union policies are bringing Germany to the point where the post-World War II idea of “never forget” no longer applies.
Meanwhile, Americans are approaching a highly consequential midterm election as polarization runs rampant and approval ratings for the current conservative leadership are some of the lowest in history.
Much like Germany, America is experiencing growing social and political divisions that make common ground hard to come by. Debates on both sides within America are focused on more ideologies and manifestos and less on shared goals, erasing opportunities for collaboration and improvement.
Not only does this make bipartisan cooperation nearly impossible, but it threatens the international relationships that helped America and Germany remain prosperous and strong for so long.
America and Germany are both facing challenges that will define their futures, but they are not facing them alone. Our countries could make significant progress for themselves and their people if leadership made a true commitment to partnership and the betterment of both nations. But unfortunately, it seems like our leaders aren’t going to do it for us.
If the politicians won’t prioritize cooperation, we are going to have to. Organizations like the German American Conference and Atlantik-Brucke are key to creating forums where German and American visionaries can unite.
Political change and innovation often begin with a simple conversation or a shared idea, and these kinds of discussions are what we need to reinvigorate transatlanticism and teamwork between two historically close allies.
Last week, I experienced firsthand how much we can learn when we’re willing to listen to one another, language barrier or not.
Despite vastly different values and histories, Germans and Americans have similar aspirations and concerns.
Since the second World War, Germany and America have worked hard to create a symbiotic relationship and now is not the time to let it crumble.
The stakes are high, and now more than ever, we need people who are willing to keep the conversation going.