FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructiveness

ThisessayexplainsthatthesuccessofGermany’sfarrightisnotjustananomalyasTheGuardianargues,buttheresultofapostmodernistdemocraticsystemwhichincreasinglyexcludeslargepartsofthepopulationinsteadofrepresentingthem.Idoalsolookintocivilsocietyandsocialentrepreneurshipasthemostlikelyforcesfortransformationandemphasizetheparamountimportanceofselftransformationtocatalyzesocialchange;andIdoeventuallycallforanconstitutionaloverhaulofpostmoderntoanintegraldemocracy.LateAugustinBerlin.Politicalcampaignpostersateverycornerandoneveryelectricitypole.Topcandidatesstareatandpropagandaslogansspeaktome.EventhoughIamnotentitledtovoteIamintriguedbyhowpoliticalpartiesmarketthemselvestotheircustomersinoneoftheWesternworld’slargestandrichestdemocracies.StrollingthroughthedistrictsofFriedrichshain-Kreuzberg,Berlin-MitteandCharlottenburg-WilmersdorfIcan’thelpbutquestioningthepurposeofcontemporarydemocracy.ErichFromm’sTheAnatomyofHumanDestructivenesscrossesmymindandIwonderifIshouldwriteonTheAnatomyofDemocraticDestructiveness.ItwasSirKarlPopperwhofamouslywrotein1947,Youcanchoosewhatevernameyoulikeforthetwotypesofgovernment.Ipersonallycallthetypeofgovernmentwhichcanberemovedwithoutviolence"democracy",andtheother"tyranny".Hewouldasoftodaymostlikelyconcludethatweliveinatyranny,whichcannotberemovedanymorewithoutviolence,ifhewouldtakeaseriouslookatviolencedirectedincontemporarydemocraticsocietiesattheselfinsteadoftheother.Hewouldasoftodaymostlikelyconcludethatwe

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenessliveinatyranny,becauseitisnottheformofgovernment,butthesystemwhichhasrendereditself,andassuchallformsofgovernmentwhichitentails,tyrannical.HistorianHarariwrotein2015intheNewYorkTimesbestsellerHomoDeus–AHistoryofTomorrowthat“In2012about56millionpeoplediedthroughouttheworld;620,000ofthemdiedduetohumanviolence(warkilled120,000people,andcrimekilledanother500,000).Incontrast,800,000committedsuicide,and1.5milliondiedofdiabetes.Sugarisnowmoredangerousthangunpowder.”Nuclearproliferationhascreateddemocraticsystemswhichhavereducedopenviolenceforover70yearstothelowestlevelseverrecordedinhumanhistoryaspsychologistStephenPinkershows,buttheyhavebroughtuponhumanityviolencedirectedattheselfinscopeandscaleneverseenbefore.Suicideandeatingormorebroadlyspeakingconsumptiondisordersareonlybeingthetipofanicebergwithpoverty,burnoutsyndrome,domesticviolence,environmentaldegradation,ADHDandmanymorementalaswellphysicalsufferingbelowsea-level.Yes,indeed,itsallrelated,andalthoughsomemightbelievethatourlivelihoodsimprovegenerally,weexperiencecivilizationanditsdiscontentsmorethaneverbefore.PublicSectorManagementManagementguruPeterDruckersaid,“Tobesure,thefundamentaltaskofmanagementremainsthesame:tomakepeoplecapableofjointperformancethroughcommongoals,commonvalues,therightstructures,andthetraininganddevelopmenttheyneedtoperformandtorespondtochange.[…]Untilquiterecently[beforeWWII],nooneknewhowtoputpeoplewithdifferentskillsandknowledgetogethertoachievecommongoals.[becausetherewerenoknowledgeablepeople,butonlyeitherfarmersorsoldiers].”Now,Druckerseemstosay,weknowhowtoputpeoplewithdifferentskillsandknowledgeatwork,butwehavelostourcommongoals.Ifwelookatthehistoryofmodernmanagementandcompareitwiththehistoryofmodernphilosophy,wenotice,thatmanagementisachildofmodernism,aperiodofhumanthoughtwhichcametoanendinthe1960ies.ModernismappearedwiththeRenaissancein14thcenturyItalyandisdescribedwithattributeslikeexcellence,performance,scientific,reason,rational,formaloperational,achievement,accomplishment,profitandmarketeconomy.Humanbehaviorincreasinglyfocusedonmodernismandpeakedwiththeoperationalconceptsofproductivityandefficiencyinthetwoworldwars,whichledtototaldestruction.ThespiritofHitlerismwonitsgreatestvictoryoveruswhen,afteritsdefeat,weusedtheweaponswhichthethreatofNazismhadinducedustodevelop.[KarlPopper]

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenessApplyingexcessivemodernistthinkingonwarfareresultedinmillionsdyinginthedrenchesofWWIandtheconcentrationcampsofWWII;experiencingtheseeventsandthefirstnuclearbomberadicatingtwocitiestriggeredphilosopherswhogrewupinthefirsthalfofthe20thcenturytodevelopanewschoolofthought:post-modernism.Horrifiedbywhatmanwascapableoftheydeclaredthebeginningofnihilism.IntegralphilosopherKenWilberelaboratespostmodernismassuch:Iftherewasonelinethatsummarizedthegistofvirtuallyallpostmodernwriters(Derrida,Foucault,Lyotard,Bourdieu,Lacan,deMan,Fish,etc.)isthat“thereisnotruth.”Truth,rather,wasaculturalconstruction,andwhatanybodyactuallycalled“truth”wassimplywhatsomeculturesomewherehadmanagedtoconvinceitsmemberswastruth…Postmodernistsmostdefinitelyandstronglybelievethatitisuniversallytruethatthereisnouniversaltruth.Wemustappreciatethatpostmodernismwasthedrivingforceofsocialpluralism,whichgaverisetominorityrights,feminism,genderequalityandLGBTrights,butwealsohavetoacknowledgethatpostmodernisminfectedsocietiesanditsmemberswithamoralepidemic:narcissism.Inacceptingneitherculturalnoruniversaltruths,thepostmodernintellectualelitegavemodernindividualsagreencardtoputthemselvesalwaysfirst.AgainKenWilber:Andwhenalltruthisaculturalfiction,thentheresimplyisnotruthatall–epistemicandonticnihilism.Andwhentherearenobindingnormsanywhere,thereisonlynormativenihilism.Andfinally,whentherearenobindingguidelinesforindividualbehavior,theindividualhasonlyhisorherownselfpromotingwantsanddesirestoanswerto–inshort,narcissism.[…]Thecultureofposttruth.

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenessThiscultureofnon-orpost-truthisreflectedinthepluralismoflieswithwhichGermanpoliticalpartiesmarketthemselvestotheelectorate.Safejobsandsecurelivelihoods(sichererJob,planbaresLeben)arepromisedbythefarleft,whenglobalautomationandcybernationtrendsindicatethattherewillbenojobsintheclosefuture;thesocialistsenvisionmoretimeforjustice(mehrZeitfürGerechtigkeit),despitethepaceoflifeacceleratingandthepoorwealthgapwidening;conservativessupportastrongEuropetostrengthenGermany(EuropastärkenheißtDeutschlandstärken)andlikethefarleftforastrongeconomyandsafejobs(füreinestarkeWirtschaftundsichereArbeit);thegreenspromoteequalsalariesforequaleffort(wennmangleichvielleistet,sollteFrauauchgleichvielverdienen).Thefarrightdemands:Immigration,yes,butnotintooursocialwelfaresystems(EinwanderungJa!AbernichtinunsereSozialsysteme).ItisthoughthecampaignoftheGermanliberalpartywhichreflectslikenoothertherampantpostmodernnarcissismamongstpoliticians.FDPtopcandidateChristianLindnerposesonlargeformatbillboardslikeamidagemodelandsays:impatienceisalsoavirtue(UngeduldistaucheinTugend);thesmallprintexplainsthatallgoodideasofotherpartieshavebeenstolenfromtheliberalparty.Itsallmine,hetellstheelectorate,thebeautiful,thegoodandthetrue,wheninrealityallpartyprogramsarebasedonthesameeconomicsystem:exportgrowthorientatedandconsumptiondrivencapitalism,whichmeansinindividualterms:moreforme,lessforyou.

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenessPoliticalElectionsasaReflectionofEgo-DevelopmentWhereasallotherpartiesbroadcastvisuallies,theliberalcampaignisatleastamirrortowheremanyGermansstandsintermsofegodevelopment.Ithasbeenwidelyelaboratedthatwecastourballotsbyfarandlargebymakinggutnotbraindecisions,whichreflectouregodevelopmentstage.ApplyingKenWilber’sintegralmetatheoryontheresultsofyesterday’sGermanelections,wegetaninterestinginsightintotheGermanpsyche.Wenoticethatthenewthirdstrongestpoliticalforceinparliament,thefarrightAlternativeforGermanyrepresentsmainlythemythicdevelopmentstage;theparty’schairwomanappearingasa40+Volksmutterwithaninfantinherarms,askingtheelectorateNow,whatreasondoyouhavetofightforGermany?isinthesameethnocentricandxenophobiclineasDonaldTrumppreachingtoMakeAmericaGreatAgain.Thecontradictionbetweenawomanwhospreadsthemessageofhateandamotherwhoprotectsherinfantcouldnotbemorestrikingandcausesgenuinedisgust.

Thefarleft,greens,liberalsandsocialistshooverinthepostmoderndevelopmentstagedivergingintheirpoliticalprogramsandopinionslikeasnakepit,butareunifiedbyembracingthesameeconomicsystemastheconservatives.ChancellorMerkel’s2015daredevilintegraldecisiontoopenthenationalbordersforimmigrationhascostthemoderndevelopmentstageconservatives8%ofthevotesandwasfueltothefarright.ItthusseemsasifGermanpoliticshascurrentlynorepresentationfortheintegraldevelopmentstage;andImustconcedethatatrulyintegraldevelopmentstagerepresentation,whichincludesallthepreviousdevelopmentstages,canhardlyberealizedinthecurrentsystemwhichisbuiltonantagonismratherthencooperation.WecanalsoconfirmthattheriseofthefarrightisnotliketheGuardianwritesananomaly–ifaloud,obnoxiousone,butananalogy–ifaloudandobnoxiousone-totheriseofDonaldTrumpin

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenesstheUSandmanyothernationalistpoliticalmovementsinmostofthedemocraticWest.TheAfDistheregressiveresultofapoliticalelitestuckinapostmoderndemocraticsystemnotbeingabletofindcommonvaluesandgoalswhichtransformitintoanintegralmovement.ThePurposeofPoliticsJournalistWolfgangUchatiuspublished2013shortlybeforethelastGermannationalelectionsalongessayintheweeklyDieZeit,titledShouldIVoteorShop?HedescribesthereinthattheopinionsofGermanpoliticalpartiesonmajorsocial,economicandpoliticalquestionsclearlyconvergewithonlythefarleftbeingagenuinealternativetothemoderatesocialdemocrats,Christianconservatives,liberalsandgreens.HeconcludesthatGermancitizenshavelosttheirdemocraticrightsduetothisindiscernibilityofpoliticalmovementsandareleftwithmakingpurchasedecisions.Ireadasimilaranalysisonpoliticalopinionsofdemocratandrepublicancontendersforthe2016USpresidentialelections,whichconcludedthatonlyBernieSandersisagenuinealternativefortheUSelectorate;allothersrepresentroughlythesamevaluesandopinions,butdivergeintheirownmotivationandinterests,i.e.gettingmoreoftheirownpeersintonational,federalandmunicipalrepresentativebodiesattheexpenseofthetaxpayer.IfweassumeforasecondthatWesternpoliticsisstuckinpluralistpostmodernismgivingrisetoregressivenationalistdynamics,whilebusinessandindustrystilloperatein6sigmamodernism,maximizingprofitbyincreasingefficiencyandproductivity,thenwemustconcludethatpoliticalnarcissismandformaloperationalbusinessbringsevolutiontoatraffic-jamhalt.Ifpoliticalpartiesagitateonlyintrospectivelyinsteadoffindingcommongroundforpurposefulactiontheyhavelosttheirmandateandhaveceasedtofulfilltheirsocialfunctionoffacilitatingagreementoverimportantdecisionsforasociety’sdevelopment.FollowingagainPeterDrucker,theyhavebecomeobsoleteandmustberemoved:Businessenterprises–andpublic-serviceinstitutionsaswell–areorgansofsociety.Theydonotexistfortheirownsake,buttofulfillaspecificsocialpurposeandtosatisfyaspecificneedofasociety,acommunity,orindividuals.Theyarenotendsinthemselves,butmeans.WenowmayaskhowtheWesterndemocraticsystemhaslostitslegitimacyandwillfindthat,again,PeterDruckerhastheanswer.WhatledtotheidentificationofmanagementwithbusinessmanagementwastheGreatDepressionwithitshostilitytobusinessanditscontemptforbusinessexecutives.Inordernottobetarredwiththebusinessbrush,managementinthepublicsectorwasrechristened“publicadministration”andproclaimedaseparateddiscipline–withitsownuniversitydepartments,itsownterminology,itsowncareerladder.[…]Nottobecalled“management”was,inotherwords,“politicalcorrectness”intheDepressionyears.

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructiveness[…]Itisthereforeimportanttoassert–andtodosoloudly–thatmanagementisnotbusinessmanagement–anymorethan,saymedicineisobstetrics.Havingrectifiedfuzzyterminology,wecancontinuetodefinethepurposeofpoliticsandgovernanceonceagain.Onemightthinkthatonlycommonsenseisrequiredtherefore,butRealpolitikprovesuswrong:atleasttothemajorityofpoliticianstherealpurposeofpoliticsisobscureandtheyperceivetheirsocialfunctionasmeanstotheirownends;iftheydon’tdosoconsciously,theyarenaïve,becauseanysanehumanbeingwouldrejectthesufferinginboringparliamentarydiscussionsorendlesspartysessionswithoutresultsunlessitcouldexplainfatpaychecksandwelfareperksas,yes,what?Compensationandindemnificationforbeingpartofasystemicinsanity.Thehumanspeciessadlytendstoconfuseprofitwithvalue,thereforewequiteoftenwasteawayourtimewithouthavinganypurposeinwhatwedo,becausewegetpaidwellorbecausewearebeingrecognizedforourposition.Thispsychologicalcircuitryprovescatastrophictothepostmoderndemocraticsystem,whichrewardspoliticiansandbureaucratsfaraboveaverageintermsoffinancialandesteemcreditsfordoingnothingmorethanmaintainingthestatusquo;whicheffectivelyonlyservesthem.Druckerwritesthatthesinglemostimportantthingtorememberaboutanyenterpriseisthatresultsexistonlyontheoutside.Theresultofabusinessisasatisfiedcustomer.Theresultofahospitalisahealedpatient.Theresultofaschoolisastudentwhohaslearnedsomethingandputsittoworktenyearslater.Ifweassumethatpoliticalbodiesareenterprisessuigeneris,thentheirresultmustbeasatisfiedcitizen.TheCEOsoftheseenterprises,ourmunicipalities,cities,states,nationswouldhavetoactaccordingtoDruckerlikecatholicnunsortheJapanese:startwiththemissionratherthanwiththeirownrewards,andwithwhattheyhavetomakehappenoutsidethemselves,inthemarketplace,todeserveareward.Aclearlydefinedmissionwillfosterinnovativeideasandhelpothersunderstandwhytheyneedtobeimplemented–howevermuchtheyflyinthefaceoftradition.FromPostmoderntoIntegralDemocracyWehavetounderstandthoughthatDrucker’sanalogydoesneitherworkforenterprisesinthecapitalistmarketeconomynorpublicentitiesinpostmoderndemocraticsystems.Bothhavefallenvictimtonihilismandexcessiveprofitseeking.Postmoderndemocracieshavebeenbrainwashedbynihilistcapitalism,exterminatingwork’sintangiblevaluesfromourcollectiveconscious.Commerceandindustrycompensatethelackofvaluewithexcessiveprofitseekingonlyandthuswithaprolongationofmodernistthinking.Thepoliticalsystemthough,includingmayors,partydelegates,MPs,ministers,headofstatesandindirectgovernmentbodieslikestaterunschools,hospitalandagencies,hasturnedintoanewaristocracy,whichisbeingrewardedwithbothfinancialgainandsocialstatus.

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenessPostmoderndemocracywithitsheavybureaucraticburdencanonlybemaintainedduetotheincreaseinproductivityoverthecourseoftheindustrialrevolution.Advancesintechnologyandmanagementhaveeffectivelymadeitpossibletoincreasethenumberofaristocratswhohavelikeinmodernistmonarchiesteamedupwiththefinancialandindustrialelitestoliveattheexpenseofthemobinnationaltermsandattheexpenseofundevelopedanddevelopingnationsinglobalterms.BarrySchwartzconcludes,thattechnologydisappearswheninefficientorobsolete,butideatechnology,i.e.humansoftwarewhichbuildsinstitutionsandcultures,keepswrong,inefficientandovercomeideasinplace,hamperingdevelopment.TedchiefcuratorChrisAndersonandhistorianYuvalHararidiscussedearlierthisyearhowglobalismandnationalismhavecreatedanewpoliticaldivide;andonemustconsequentlyaskifspendingtaxmoneyonlocalornationalelectioncampaignsdoesmakeanysense.Wecangothoughevenastepfurtherandmustquestionthepostmoderndemocraticsystemasaninstitution,ifitisnothingmorethanthepoliticalreflectionofpostmodernpluralism,andassuchadysfunctionalsystemwhichsabotagestheestablishmentofcommonvaluesandcommongoals.Postmodernismhasturnedthedemocraticsystemintoapoliticalpurgatory;aconstitutionaloverhaulisrequiredtoestablishglobalmeritocraticparticipation.

Theorganizationalstructureofpoliticalmodernismwasabsolutism,whetherenlightenedorpitchdark.MostWesternmindscan’tsympathizewitharevivalofabsolutismdespiteanimpressivetrackrecord.GermanyroseunderFriedrichII.,oneofthemostaccomplishedenlightenedmonarchs,fromaprovincialkingdomtooneofthemostpowerfulempiresinimperialistEurope.Hiscredowasstraightforward:Iamthefirstservantofthestate;anditseemsasifPeterDruckercarboncopiedfromhim:Themanagerisaservant.Hisorhermasteristheinstitutionbeingmanagedandthefirstresponsibilitymustthereforebetoit.

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenessThemanager’sfirsttaskistomaketheinstitution,whetherbusiness,hospital,school,oruniversity,performthefunctionandmakethecontributionforthesakeofwhichitexists.DemocracyasitislivedinourWesternpoliticalsystemsisinaglobalizedworldwithmanytransnationalchallengeslikeclimatechangeandindustrialautomationawastefulluxury;butitisaboveallasystemwhichneedsamassiveoverhaul.TheriseofChina,whichoperatesamodernistgovernancebasedonabsolutismshouldtriggerthemindsandheartsofWesterndecisionmakerstothinkaboutalternativestothestatusquo.SinceregressivemeasuresinAnglo-Saxonelectorates–whicharemainlybasedonwhatRepublicanhistorianNiallFergusondescribedasSixKillerAppsforCivilizationdevelopment-havefailedtofarandwillcontinuetodoso,itmightmakesensetolistenoncetoevolutionarypsychologistslikeKenWilber,whoexplainafastforwardleapintoabetter–integral–futuresimplybysharingwealthandfacilitatinganinclusivetransnationalsociety.Thingsmightnotcomesoeasyafterall,butthinkingofsomelifeappsinsteadofkillerappsfortheprogressofcivilizationmightbeagoodstart.

SelfdesignandSelfempowermentArchitectanddesigntheoristFriedrichvonBorriesproposesinWeltentwerfen,apoliticaldesigntheorywhichlaysouttheframeworkforpeacefulandsubversiveindividualresistancetoatyrannyandthusapermanentreformofthesystematlarge.Borriesappliespsychologist’sAbrahamMaslowpyramidofhumanneedstodesigntheoryandexplainswithabundantreferencestocurrentsocialandtechnologicaldevelopmentsthatdesignisalwayssubjecttoadichotomybetweenincreasing(German:entwerfen)anddecreasing(German:unterwerfen)freedom,whetherinregardtosurvival,security,societyorself.Theobjectiveofgooddesignisnottheradicaldesignofadifferentsociety,buttheconstantsearchforcracksinthesystemandthepeacefulapplicationofdesigntowidenthese.InassuchBorriesmakesapowerfulargumentinthelinewithKarlPopperagainstviolentsocial

FederalElectionsinGermany:TheAnatomyofPostmodernDemocraticDestructivenesschange,confirmedbyhistorythroughexamplesliketheCulturalRevolution(1966-1976)whichwasmeanttoliberate,butoppresseditssubjectswithyetanotherformofsocialdesign.WhatbothBorriesandPopperelapsedthoughisthatonlyselfdesignandselfleadershipwillcatalyzelastingreform,notsocialdesignandyetanotherexternalleadership.Integralleadershipdoesnotleadbutfacilitatesselfleadership;inassuchthefundamentaltaskofmanagementisenablingself-management;aconceptwhichisalienandantagonisttomodernpoliticsandmostpublicsectoractivity.Muchneededsocialinnovationwillthereforenotcomefrompoliticalpartiesbutfromthecivilsocietyandsocialentrepreneurship.Itistherethatwewillseemanagementatitsbest,makingpeoplecapableofjointperformancethroughcommongoals,commonvalues,therightstructures,andthetraininganddevelopmenttheyneedtoperformandtorespondtochange.Werespondtochangeandwecatalyzetransformationoncewechangeourselves.Thelongerwewaitforpoliticalsystemstobringaboutthechangesthatwedreamofthelesstheywillbecomereality.

FurtherReading:

• ErichFromm:TheAnatomyofHumanDestructiveness• SirKarlPopper:UtopiaandViolence• KenWilber:TrumpandaPosttruthWorld• NiallFerguson:Civilization–TheWestandtheRest• FriedrichvonBorries:Weltentwerfen• PeterF.Drucker:TheEssentialDrucker• AbrahamMaslow:MotivationandPersonality• YuvalN.Harari:HomoDeus–AHistoryofTomorrow