Democracy and market economy: no system is set in stone

The change from Chancellor Merkel to her successor Scholz could not have been more harmonious.

At the handover in the Chancellery there was applause for Merkel and best wishes for Scholz.

In the face of so much unanimity, the successor rightly stated that Germany was "a strong democracy".

However, a look abroad shows how quickly the wind can change. A few years ago, nobody would have thought it possible that a liar and agitator like Donald Trump would be elected President of the United States. No one would have believed that an angry mob could take over the world power's Capitol. Just a few days ago, President Biden warned that America's democracy could crumble.

In other countries, too, the separation of powers and fair elections are going downhill.

Turkey was once a serious candidate for EU membership and well advanced on the road to democracy.

Today, President Erdogan rules autocratically.

The rule of law is also in danger in Poland and Hungary.

In addition, Russia is becoming more and more warlike, China more nationalistic.

The plan of "change through trade" did not work out, on the contrary.

In some phases of the pandemic, China was so successful in combating the corona virus that some observers in the West wondered whether democratic processes in pandemic times take too long and whether the Chinese system is superior in this respect.

The level of dissatisfaction should not be underestimated

The “yellow vest” protests in France are also unforgettable.

They were only three years ago and were sparked by the fact that President Macron wanted to increase the price of diesel by 6.5 cents in order to finance the energy transition.

There was arson and injuries.

As a result, IG Metall boss Hofmann warned of higher loads: There are also yellow vests in German cars.

On closer inspection, the situation in Germany is actually not as harmonious and stable as it was when the chancellorship was handed over.

In the state elections in Saxony in 2019, the AfD and the Left Party together received more than 40 percent of the votes, and in the federal elections four months ago, the AfD was the strongest party there.

Even the social market economy is not immutable. A little over two years ago, the current SPD general secretary, Kevin Kühnert, called for the communitization of large companies. The same mentality underlies the “Deutsche Wohnen expropriating” initiative, which was approved by 57.6 percent of voters in the referendum at the end of September.

What can be concluded from all these observations?

First, the level of dissatisfaction should not be underestimated.

Regardless of whether there are legitimate reasons for it or not.

Secondly, our democracy must be continuously strengthened.

This also includes allowing other opinions.

SPD politician Ralf Stegner recently set a bad example.

The former Minister of the Interior of Schleswig-Holstein said that nuclear power fans were “hardly inferior to opponents of vaccination, corona deniers and right-wing extremists in terms of content and tone”.

In such a climate, a debate is not possible, and Cancel Culture is not far away.

The situation in the US and Poland should serve as a warning to us

Thirdly, equal opportunities must be given more attention again. The legitimacy of the social market economy is based on the fact that the starting opportunities do not drift too far apart, that the use of the clever and the capable is worthwhile. At least with a view to owning your own property that is not far from the economic centers, this currently only applies to a limited extent. Anyone who has not inherited or received anything as a gift can rarely save up the necessary equity. It is not entirely without reason that in an Allensbach survey two years ago, only 48 percent “had a good opinion of the economic system in Germany”.

There is also a huge lack of educational equity.

Out of 100 primary school children from working-class families, only 21 go on to college.

There are 74 children with university degrees. It must also be thought-provoking that poor children receive only a third of the money that rich parents spend on their offspring.

As gratifying as this is for the wealthy, it is reasonable to assume that the opportunities to start in life are very unequally distributed.

A look at such injustices and the situation in the USA, France, Poland and Turkey should serve as a warning to us: Germany must also be careful.

Neither democracy nor the social market economy are set in stone.