Germany currently is purchasing its own stuff. Its currency is prevented from rising by being in the Euro. Currently the debts are hidden in the EU.

The UK spends an increasingly large amount on Social Services / Social Care. It is going up over inflation by the year. The norm is people stay in school until 18, and 50% until 21+. People are paid to stay in the South of England where prices are vast, which keeps prices high and ensures that they remain unemployed as the loss of benefits is above any job they could get. Moving to the cheaper north would depress wages and help new companies get a cheaper workforce. Such policies are unthinkable. Quite leftist policies where money is thrown around and then people scratch their heads that unemployment remains high.

Currently there is an outcry that people might be moved off disability allowances. Currently, people are on it for life without a review - ever. The numbers on it are also increasing. Reducing numbers by many appears to be unthinkable.

The problem is there is little if any return on investment. In Germany there is a large manufacturing base. This means persons leave University able to work in high-tech manufacturing. In the UK, reading / writing /timekeeping and dress code appears to be asking too much. Oh, and of course there are loads of jobs that are beneath people. Such as manual work / manufacturing. Everyone wants to be a middle manager in the office with the company car and good paycheque as they've got a degree. Who makes things?

I don't know how this cultural shift can be made.