Democracy in the
21st Century

Democracy as a form of state and government - but also as a normative idea and mindset - has been under increasing pressure for years. Pressure from within, because growing segments of the population are losing confidence in the overall political system and its elites, and at the same time the common value base is shrinking. And pressure from outside, because the new world power China and the unpredictable, aggressive Russia under Putin, as well as other authoritarian regimes, are challenging the democracies of the West politically, economically and militarily. Russia and China in particular, as the spearhead of autocratic regimes worldwide, are attempting to challenge the continued existence of democracy and its institutions and to change the power structures of world politics in their favor.

The resilience and thus the stability of democracies is further threatened by various processes of globalization. One of the biggest international problems is man-made climate change with all its side effects. In the third decade of the 21st century, the entire world is in a phase in which crisis-like events and developments of the most diverse categories are accumulating. At the same time, plausible solutions are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve because the problematic processes not only overlap and are thus more difficult to keep track of, but the individual problems themselves are also becoming increasingly complex. In addition, there are different interests that often prevent sensible compromise.
Which conditions for success are necessary and must be created so that democratically governed countries have the best possible problem-solving competence while offering their citizens both a high quality of life and the highest possible security? Which measures are necessary and feasible to effectively withstand internal and external pressures while enabling sustainable solutions to avert climate catastrophe and protect people, animals and plants? And how can democratically governed countries manage to strengthen the sense of belonging, cohesion and cooperation among their people? How can this trust then extend to the international level? Because trust is the necessary basis of legitimacy needed for the stability and functionability of the political system.

The world's democracies need a new, unifying vision. One that will not only help them better navigate and handle current and future crises, but that at the same time will also help create a better and more satisfying life for as many people on this earth as possible. This requires innovations not only of a technological nature, but also in thinking and acting. Innovations that are born of the spirit of cooperation. Cooperation between states and within states with better communication channels and cooperation mechanisms between the federal government, the states, cities and municipalities, between the bottom and the top, between grassroots organizations and governments, between civil society actors and professional politicians, between people in general. Nationally and internationally – across borders.

Worldviews and human images

As we know, human beings are capable of both "good" and "evil". How do we create the political and economic framework conditions that encourage or stimulate the "good" in people, i.e. empathy, cooperation, fairness, consideration, respect and helpfulness, and at the same time sanction the "bad", i.e. antisocial behavior such as greed and lust for power, lack of scruples and moderation, ruthlessness and aggression?

At the moment, the economic and political framework in most countries of the world still tends to favor or reward antisocial behavior. This is primarily due to the capitalist economic system - which is also significantly responsible for our political and social structures and processes and thus also for our thought structures - and which is based on outdated premises: On the erroneous assumptions of limitless growth, the predominantly selfish nature of man, the omnipresence of competition and contest, where the law of the strongest applies. For centuries, global society has allowed itself to be captured and guided by social darwinist notions. Those who do not have enough elbow (mentality) have to accept disadvantages. In order to belong, or in order not to be disadvantaged, you have to go along with it - even if you don't like it. Thus, a world-view and ontology could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Through its world-spanning practice and as the subject of a comprehensive prevailing doctrine, this one-sided understanding of the nature of man managed to burn itself so deeply into the heads of all generations that it has become a "truth" par excellence that is not questioned by very many people. Even if it has long been clear that the main principle of evolution is cooperation - this can be observed almost everywhere in nature and is confirmed by the natural sciences from the most diverse fields - the antiquated world view and understanding of human nature with man’s struggle of all against all and of man against nature stubbornly persists. This is because the elites of this world, the rich and powerful - the absolute minority on this planet - benefit from this principle. While the absolute majority of people, like nature by the way, pay the price for the fact that a few are doing very well (at least materially). But this is neither fair nor sustainable, and thus not viable. We need solutions that start with our view of the world and of humanity, that are based on facts and scientific findings, and that strive for a holistic approach. We first need to better understand what human beings and the world are really like before we can talk meaningfully and purposefully about what human beings and the world we are creating for ourselves should be like. We need a convergence of normativity and empiricism.

The future
of democracy

Even if liberal democracy has many shortcomings and even if there is ample need for reform: It is the only political system we know of that not only protects but also promotes the rights and freedoms of its citizens. It is the political system most likely to produce fairness and justice because it is participatory and open to criticism and can be corrected and adjusted from within. But this requires that as many people as possible get involved and participate. Unlike authoritarian systems like Russia or China, their logic of rule is built on facts and scientific knowledge and ultimately on cooperation, inclusion and compromise, not on lies, propaganda, monopoly of power and exclusion. Dictatorships and authoritarian narratives emphasize the divisive. Democracies would do well to consciously focus more on what connects people.

There is a close connection between science and democracy. They need each other in order to both function. Democracy relies on swarm intelligence, just as science does - using the principles of falsification and verification. Just as propaganda in authoritarian and totalitarian systems hijacks the education and media systems to (re)educate people to think and function in ways desired by the ruling class, democracies should likewise rely on education and pedagogy, and certainly on the power of the media. However, not in the sense of political or market-economic instrumentalization, but in the sense of the duty of care and in favor of a basic humanistic attitude that cares about people. And ultimately to promote democracy.

Democracy in the
21st Century

Democracy as a form of state and government - but also as a normative idea and mindset - has been under increasing pressure for years. Pressure from within, because growing segments of the population are losing confidence in the overall political system and its elites, and at the same time the common value base is shrinking. And pressure from outside, because the new world power China and the unpredictable, aggressive Russia under Putin, as well as other authoritarian regimes, are challenging the democracies of the West politically, economically and militarily. Russia and China in particular, as the spearhead of autocratic regimes worldwide, are attempting to challenge the continued existence of democracy and its institutions and to change the power structures of world politics in their favor.

The resilience and thus the stability of democracies is further threatened by various processes of globalization. One of the biggest international problems is man-made climate change with all its side effects. In the third decade of the 21st century, the entire world is in a phase in which crisis-like events and developments of the most diverse categories are accumulating. At the same time, plausible solutions are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve because the problematic processes not only overlap and are thus more difficult to keep track of, but the individual problems themselves are also becoming increasingly complex. In addition, there are different interests that often prevent sensible compromise.

Which conditions for success are necessary and must be created so that democratically governed countries have the best possible problem-solving competence while offering their citizens both a high quality of life and the highest possible security? Which measures are necessary and feasible to effectively withstand internal and external pressures while enabling sustainable solutions to avert climate catastrophe and protect people, animals and plants? And how can democratically governed countries manage to strengthen the sense of belonging, cohesion and cooperation among their people? How can this trust then extend to the international level? Because trust is the necessary basis of legitimacy needed for the stability and functionability of the political system.

The world's democracies need a new, unifying vision. One that will not only help them better navigate and handle current and future crises, but that at the same time will also help create a better and more satisfying life for as many people on this earth as possible. This requires innovations not only of a technological nature, but also in thinking and acting. Innovations that are born of the spirit of cooperation. Cooperation between states and within states with better communication channels and cooperation mechanisms between the federal government, the states, cities and municipalities, between the bottom and the top, between grassroots organizations and governments, between civil society actors and professional politicians, between people in general. Nationally and internationally – across borders.

Worldviews and human images

As we know, human beings are capable of both "good" and "evil". How do we create the political and economic framework conditions that encourage or stimulate the "good" in people, i.e. empathy, cooperation, fairness, consideration, respect and helpfulness, and at the same time sanction the "bad", i.e. antisocial behavior such as greed and lust for power, lack of scruples and moderation, ruthlessness and aggression?

At the moment, the economic and political framework in most countries of the world still tends to favor or reward antisocial behavior. This is primarily due to the capitalist economic system - which is also significantly responsible for our political and social structures and processes and thus also for our thought structures - and which is based on outdated premises: On the erroneous assumptions of limitless growth, the predominantly selfish nature of man, the omnipresence of competition and contest, where the law of the strongest applies. For centuries, global society has allowed itself to be captured and guided by social darwinist notions. Those who do not have enough elbow (mentality) have to accept disadvantages. In order to belong, or in order not to be disadvantaged, you have to go along with it - even if you don't like it. Thus, a world-view and ontology could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Through its world-spanning practice and as the subject of a comprehensive prevailing doctrine, this one-sided understanding of the nature of man managed to burn itself so deeply into the heads of all generations that it has become a "truth" par excellence that is not questioned by very many people. Even if it has long been clear that the main principle of evolution is cooperation - this can be observed almost everywhere in nature and is confirmed by the natural sciences from the most diverse fields - the antiquated world view and understanding of human nature with man’s struggle of all against all and of man against nature stubbornly persists. This is because the elites of this world, the rich and powerful - the absolute minority on this planet - benefit from this principle. While the absolute majority of people, like nature by the way, pay the price for the fact that a few are doing very well (at least materially). But this is neither fair nor sustainable, and thus not viable. We need solutions that start with our view of the world and of humanity, that are based on facts and scientific findings, and that strive for a holistic approach. We first need to better understand what human beings and the world are really like before we can talk meaningfully and purposefully about what human beings and the world we are creating for ourselves should be like. We need a convergence of normativity and empiricism.

The future
of democracy

Even if liberal democracy has many shortcomings and even if there is ample need for reform: It is the only political system we know of that not only protects but also promotes the rights and freedoms of its citizens. It is the political system most likely to produce fairness and justice because it is participatory and open to criticism and can be corrected and adjusted from within. But this requires that as many people as possible get involved and participate. Unlike authoritarian systems like Russia or China, their logic of rule is built on facts and scientific knowledge and ultimately on cooperation, inclusion and compromise, not on lies, propaganda, monopoly of power and exclusion. Dictatorships and authoritarian narratives emphasize the divisive. Democracies would do well to consciously focus more on what connects people.

There is a close connection between science and democracy. They need each other in order to both function. Democracy relies on swarm intelligence, just as science does - using the principles of falsification and verification. Just as propaganda in authoritarian and totalitarian systems hijacks the education and media systems to (re)educate people to think and function in ways desired by the ruling class, democracies should likewise rely on education and pedagogy, and certainly on the power of the media. However, not in the sense of political or market-economic instrumentalization, but in the sense of the duty of care and in favor of a basic humanistic attitude that cares about people. And ultimately to promote democracy.