The political scientist Francis Fukuyama with his Thesis of the “end of history” fame. In his new book “identity. Such as the loss of it Would endanger our democracy,” he criticizes the identity politics of the Left. In the meantime, these will be copied from the Right. Groups that are marginalized or not respected, to feel, reacted with frustration and political anger on the respective opposite side. Outrage follow outrage profiteers are right-wing populists such as Donald Trump, which will gather the majority of the Wounded behind.
Mr Fukuyama, your time diagnosis relies on a Central concept: the the Would. You say that the people were yearning for Dignity, but our democracies do not succeed to satisfy this need. To be recognised as a highly subjective feeling, however, is – how can it be that all groups of the population see their Dignity sufficiently respected?
Francis Fukuyama: is Would – as the German Constitution is exactly that – an individual. The liberal, democratic, constitutional state guarantees the individual the individual, not a closed group. The Problem arises when individuals in identity groups: women, Blacks, TRANS people. If left-wing politics moved on, the pursuit of Dignity for these groups to enforce, there are others that feel neglected. The democracy is in danger.
Why is that? Democracy is not the political process that enables the Balancing of the interests of different groups to the negotiation between the majority and the minorities?
In the 20th century. Century argued Left and right about different visions of economic and social policy. In any such dispute, you can negotiate How high the tax should be set? Interest groups can agree on a compromise. But when you start to organize policy to fixed identities, Negotiating difficult. All of a sudden it is no longer about tax rates, but about respect. Since there is no Differ and are not an Alternative to top target: socially recognized. A violation of one’s own identity is a violation of one’s own and the anger is much greater than in the case of a difference of opinion on taxes. Therefore, identity-political conflicts are so bitter.
“The Left has to be recognized in the politics of identity to a lot of potential. But you neglected for policy matters and social justice.”
you Overestimate your concept Would not, if you all people for the pursuit of recognition as the Central political motive?
I believe that the pursuit of Dignity, of what is called Plato’s “Thymos” is, in fact, an important psychological and universal factor in political Action.
In a constant Craving for recognition is also a little Narcissistic.
Not necessarily, the desire for recognition produces a right lot of good things: The people and the women’s movement pursued in their pursuit of objectives which were fairly and properly. The Left has recognized in the politics of identity to a lot of potential, as you made these goals their own. But you neglected for policy matters and social justice.
are you accusing the left of identity politics, the rights of identity politics, the Trump in the US and the AfD in Germany, to advance, to have brought forth. This accusation is not unfair?
I’m not saying that the identity politics of the Right is a direct consequence of left-wing identity politics. There are different factors that come together. But Donald Trump has certainly benefited from it, that he could appear as a rebel in an environment that puts a lot of emphasis on politically correct language. His Fans to say: look, finally, one who says what he thinks. This gives him an Aura of the Authentic. Politically correct language is correct and useful, as well as many other concerns left-wing identity politics. But the right has been recognized, as they undermine this logic and can use.
“For the politics of resentment it does not matter whether your target audience feels, rightly or wrongly, respected.”
Donald Trump focuses on what they describe as the “politics of resentment”. The displeasure of his constituents is not, however, be entitled always: rejection of migrants is often a prejudice, and people do not feel they are sometimes unfairly treated, even though they are there. Should policy here not with facts against taxes?
the facts is not wrong to intersperse in the debate, certainly. But their effectiveness is limited. Political decisions are based not only on reason but also on emotions. Therefore, it does not matter for the politics of resentment, no matter whether your target audience feels, rightly or wrongly, respected.
we Take the so-called “old white men” who complain of increasingly self to be discriminated against – although still mostly people from this population, the sit group to the control in economy, politics and culture.
This identity group, but not just from the elites, but also from members of the working class slipping into poverty, and neither in politics nor in the media or in the entertainment industry represented see. Therefore, it is important to disassemble identity groups: There are powerful “old white men” and powerless, the Same goes for women or homosexuals. The root of our democratic societies, decomposed thinking.
Fatal is that the “politics of resentment” is, in essence, still democratic: it is based on the principle, to mobilize the majority and to represent their interests.
Democratically-not quite – but in the sense of a liberal democracy. I’m very concerned that if right-wing populist resentment to propagate their idea of a Nation based on ethnicity. Donald Trump talked about in his campaign is hardly on taxes, instead, about the allegedly dangerous immigrants from the South. He talked of their interests at the expense of white Americans. The Dignity of the Dignity of the other – that is democratic, but not liberal. This way leads into the illiberal democracy.
your proposed solution to the crisis in the democracy and in particular the Left, in their view, maneuvered, is a Reflection on the concept of the Nation – a concept to have the the Left by the focus on transnational identity groups overcome believed.
she believed it to be overcome. That was a mistake. I would of Left the Democrats in the USA as well as the social Democrats in Europe, rates of this request, Elevator, one has to think. As long as there is no possibility of practical principles of the rule of law and democracy on a higher than the national level, remains the size of the Nation, the politically relevant.
What is the EU?
It would have been nice if the European Union would be able to replace the various national identities with a European identity. But they did not succeed. The nation-state is, as before, Makes the place political. The people feel the Nation’s political life. This doesn’t mean that you can cooperate with other States or the EU should abolish it. But the Integration of the new citizens in the globalized world a necessity, it can only succeed on a national level.
“If not sensible people and hold the Nation high, we leave the most effective force to the companies to the Right.”
If you Left recommend, to reflect on the Nation, they will bring you in a Dilemma, finally, the Nation is traditionally a left-wing concept.
The Left needs to be pragmatic. A functioning society needs social cohesion and is most likely at the national level. But I’m not saying that the Nation must be tied to an ethnicity.
you speak of the concept of constitutional patriotism?
The abstract alone. It’s a start, but the Nation needs political education, heroes, stories and rituals that create a community beyond ethnic origin. Germany makes it people hard to be German. If someone is of Turkish descent, lives in Germany, speaks German, to the Constitution – why should he not be just German? My grandfather emigrated in 1905 from Japan to the USA, I have always considered myself a American and was always treated as such. If non-sensible people to keep the Nation’s high, we leave the most effective force to the companies to the Right. (Editorial Tamedia)
Created: 17.03.2019, at 18:22
