The Essence of Political Culture in Germany [C 2]

Freedom has never been understood, endorsed and vigorously defended by the larger public in Germany. There is an unbroken general belief in the utter need to be ruled and regulated by a powerful state supposedly capable of replacing the inherent vices of its subjects by the superior foresight and benignity of those who happen to govern. The powers that be have it easy in Germany, the country of “anticipatory obedience” (vorauseilender Gehorsam). The only deeply felt political attitude to be found among contemporary Germans is a passionate desire to be ruled. People do not even care, who is ruling them. What is important to them is that they are being ruled, no matter by whom.

Is this an exaggeration? Judge for yourselves: Germany is waging a war of aggression against a country that has done no harm to Germans: Afghanistan. There is no opposition to this among Germans. The declared aim of regime change is considered an exercise in humanitarian help. Leading a jihad to bring democracy to a people by way of “fire and sword” is deemed one of the great accomplishments of our political culture. We are so giving (again). Am deutschen Wesen soll die Welt genesen, meaning: may the world thrive under the influence of the German way.

How little people in Germany really care about anything but being ruled somehow by someone is revealed by no lesser dignitary than the former Bundespräsident (head of state) Roman Herzog, who calls into question the existence of a parliamentary democracy in Germany, pointing out that 80% of the rulings binding to the German citizenry have been decreed by a European bureaucracy backed by no democratic credentials.

After more than fifty years of “conscientious” grappling with the Nazi-catastrophe, the core creed of the average German boils down to this: Let them do what they like as long as my pension looks safe.

From a letter to a friend:

Rough English rendering of the below German passage:

...actually, nobody is concerned with the way we are being ruled...What people are adamant about is that we should be ruled.

Hence, even the question thought to be of overriding importance to us model-democrats - i.e. who ought to and should be allowed to govern us - is not posed in honesty.

Little wonder that a much more momentous issue receives no attention at all: how can we make sure that those who govern us (representing a very limited government, one hopes) will do the least damage possible.

...aber in Wirklichkeit interessiert sich niemand für die Art, wie wir regiert werden...Hauptsache wir werden regiert.

Also, selbst die einzige Frage, mit der wir, die ach so guten Demokraten, uns befassen zu müssen glauben - nämlich wer soll und darf uns regieren - ist nicht ehrlich gemeint.

Was nimmt es Wunder: Die demgegnüber viel wesentlichere Frage stellt natürlich keiner: Wie können wir dafür sorgen, dass die, die uns regieren (hoffentlich eine very limited government), den geringsten Schaden anstellen können.

For the "democratic" character of the EU see:

http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2004/08/myth-of-week.html

For the former Bundespräsident's contention that it is hard to consider Germany a representative democracy see:

http://www.welt.de/politik/article715345/Europa_entmachtet_uns_und_unsere_Vertreter.html