In Germany, the use of cash has become a proxy for concerns about trust, privacy
&gt;Yet for many Germans, the convenience of electronic payment is beside the point. Rather, the use of cash has, to a surprising extent, become a proxy for profound concerns about trust, privacy, and the role of the state.<p>I&#x27;ve been banging my head against the table since moving to Germany about the lack of convenience with cash payments and the need to constantly visit the ATM.  Yet the economy is doing just fine.