German reparations thus begat socialism. Socialism strengthened the State, while it weakened individuals and families. Socialism continues to shrink the nation, while depriving the people of freedom. And so it was for 70 years in the former Soviet Union, until the communist system came tumbling down. The goal is freedom in general, and economic freedom in particular.
Freedom requires replacing socialism with private markets.
But private markets and freedom are a poor match for socialism, when foreigners give billions of dollars each year to the State. Freedom remains a high calling, and so we persist.