I’m pretty sure at this point that everyone believes their country to be the least functioning of all. I grew up in Italy where everyone scoffs at the idea of things ever going well or functioning properly. I’ve then lived in a couple of countries that Italians tend to look at as paradises only to realize that the attitude of people there is actually the same (hell, I’ve even heard the occasional praise for Italy when something was in the news. “Those Italians know how to get things done.” I laughed)

I have the same experience now in Germany. People have the impression of living in the most broken country in the world. And honestly, I must say that I never thought I would get to experience a worse bureaucracy than Italy’s. But here we are.

I think the chief difference is that Italians know their bureaucracy doesn’t work and so ‘reinterpret’ the rules, while the Germans tend to bang their heads against broken rules until they pass out.

MQS