Germany: East versus west. We have one country, but two mentality
After the election to the European Parliament, which took place on June 9, it is difficult to deny a simple fact that has long been taboo. Just a glance at the political map of Germany to find out: in the west they won the Christian Democrats, whose traditional color is black and the east was dominated by AFD marked in blue. The limit runs exactly as between Germany and the GDR in the last century. There are two political cultures in one country. Elections in Saxony and Thuringia from the beginning of September confirmed this division even more.
AFD is currently a mainstream party in eastern trade union countries. The so -called “inner unity” of the Germans, which is talked about in solemn speeches, eventually turned out to be exactly what she was always: a fantasy. Over 40 years of divisions mentally discouraged Germans from the east and west. The unification of Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall was able to alleviate it, but not to end. There are two worlds next to each other with completely different experiences.
In one of them there are strong ties with the West, a transatlantic opening and gradually developing acceptance of liberal democracy. In the second: connections with the East, deficiency economy and so -called internal emigration. In the western part of Germany, people had the opportunity to gradually break away from the authoritarian state mentality. In the eastern one they got used to living in a country that punished for openness, minimized the risk of life at a low level and left citizens for freedom almost exclusively in the private sphere.
The slogan “We are a people” changed meaning
The fact that AFD was able to strengthen its position in the eastern trade union countries of Germany is also related to the so -called “peaceful revolution”. In 1989-90 thousand people shouted on the streets of eastern Germany: “We are a people!”. At that time, it was directed against the nomenclature of the communist party, but over time it also expanded to other issues. The slogan “We are a people” began to mean that next to “us” are some “others” – e.g. foreigners.
“Ossi”, or the Germans from the East, believed that only an ethnically understood people can have access to political truth. In their opinion, politics is designed to implement the will of the people who are not subject to discussion – it is inviolable, like absolute truth. Among the supporters of the AfD, it is common belief that the results of the election are manipulated – Because if there was no manipulation, an alternative to Germany would certainly get over 50 percent. votes. Voters of this party will only accept democracy if the group they support won the absolute majority.
Euphoria at the AfD staff. Berlin, June 9 this year.
Scandals that would have catastrophic consequences for each other party, and weakened the position of AFD in the eastern part of Germany. It was chosen not so much because it is extremely right – and because it is the only party that opposes the “system”. This attitude is not undemocratic, but only plebiscite-democratic. AFD voters believe that only their party represents the “people”.
The end of the world we know
A journalist wrote after the election on June 9: “Many AFD voters celebrated the election victory on Monday with the motto: “Now it will be like in the GDR – only with money” “. Many of those who voted for AfD in the East see for the first time a chance to help come to power A party that will take care of all their life concerns and protect them against the negative influence of global turmoil on national idyll. The east calms down alone. Closes in his own world.
In the east, the party landscape will probably become even more diverse: Next to AfD, even the Sahry Wegenknecht (BSW) or independent candidates enjoys support. Their popularity can lead to dusk the dominance of large parties (Christian Democrats and Social Democrats) and marginalization of smaller groups (green, liberals, post -communists). The effects of this would be felt by Germans throughout the country – it would be the end of the world we know. A new political landscape is drawn on the horizon. Old parties will not only be replaced by new ones. A completely new power arrangement will emerge.
Politics is usually created in large cities by their inhabitants. Of the 20 most populated cities in Germany, only two are in the east – Leipzig and Dresden. As a result, eastern trade union countries are almost never in the Center for Political Complexation.
Liberal democracy can surpass populists
AfD owes its rapid growth in the east not only to this fact. One can imagine that by the end of this year it will not be possible to create a government in the country without AFD (or BSW) in at least one last year. Perhaps things will go differently – it would be wise to be prepared for such a scenario.
There are no more two German countries, but two clearly different German sensitivity has been rooted. In the spirit of federalism, we should not equalize or compensate for this difference – It would be an attempt to compensate for something that by design cannot be equalized. Sociologist Steffen Mau says that we don't have to agree with each other. As for politics, he suggests that maybe there could be a kind of “utopia of duality in unity.” This is probably too harmonious.
It may also be that a new system competition has appeared between the western and eastern part of the country. It would be better if it was properly played, not suppressed. Liberal democracy should not hope to outdo AfDs with anti -fascist “costume balls”. Instead, she should prove that he is better than plebiscite folk democracy – through good, convincing and capable of most policy.
