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I followed today's trill with great interest because it was on public broadcasting. But then, immediately and parallel to the statements made by the three party representatives, I had to hit the keys again — my way of mentally processing the whole thing.
Table of Contents
Socialism
Even a democratic socialism, i.e. one that does not want to abolish the market economy and democracy in a revolutionary way, must always ask itself whether and how far it still stands by our free democratic basic order.
Social democracy - originally a counter-concept - has not yet succeeded in completely distancing itself from socialism. On the contrary, they keep babbling about socialist coalitions.
Left and green parties are a bit clearer and repeatedly demand, more or less, the complete disenfranchisement of citizens. Either for "social" or "ecological" reasons, but always motivated by totalitarianism.
conservatism
A political direction that, interestingly enough, no longer exists here, since the Union parties were actually just a bourgeois alternative to social democracy from the start, whether “Christian” or “social”, and they claim to be entirely on the ground to stand by our free democratic basic order. Unfortunately, right from the start, this claim was repeatedly thwarted by "National Socialist" party members, who regularly ranted about right-wing national coalitions.
Common
All of these parties, perhaps with the exception of the Greens, have one thing in common, namely that they officially want to strive for and protect the well-being of all citizens, whether for social or Christian reasons. They build their political existence precisely on this promise of "prosperity for all".
As we all must recognize, these parties in particular cannot fulfill this promise.
liberalism
Unfortunately, a political direction that, like conservatism, hardly exists here anymore. Decades ago, the Free Democrats, who repeatedly claim to represent liberalism, committed themselves to the social market economy in exchange with the above parties and currents — and quite rightly so.
But it is still the Free Democrats who insist that we citizens should not be completely incapacitated and also want to give the market room to breathe.
Perhaps, or even very likely, the only way to make the other parties' promises of "prosperity for all" a reality.
Mainstream
As expected, it fitted quite well at the Triell that the three party representatives presented all came from the extended “social-democratic environment”; actually a tripartite unity party — the SuperGroKo.
Let's just hope that all three party representatives will continue to keep their left and right fringes in check — for the good of our democracy.
sustainability
However, we will only achieve political progress if the two main political currents, namely conservatism on the one hand and liberalism on the other, are given the opportunity to rub against each other again. In any case, this duel would be more interesting and certainly more productive.
trust & solidarity
Trust comes through actions, not words! And if the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us anything, it is that solidarity is just a pretty word.
"POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage."
Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary (2020 [1911])
