The notion requires something of an-apples-and-oranges leap, but President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany may have more in common than their experience in the former East Germany and the ability to speak each other's language. Both defy their critics by continuing to pursue policies that are bad for economic growth.

From their perspective, however, it may make sense to resist placing growth above other considerations.

Conventional wisdom holds that if gross domestic product is growing, a government must be doing something right, or at least nothing too wrong. If GDP drops 0.2 percent, as it did in Germany in the second quarter of this year, and especially if it goes down for two consecutive quarters — the formal definition of a recession — the government is supposed to do something about it.