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Main reason the author seems to be surprised appears to be that he drastically underestimates the cultural differences in Europe. Political culture and attitude
by Barrin92 5y ago
Main reason the author seems to be surprised appears to be that he drastically underestimates the cultural differences in Europe. Political culture and attitudes towards restrictions and liberties vary drastically even between neighbouring countries. Austria might be close to Germany in several ways but it has always been notoriously weird politically. There's also a dividing line between what's (oversimplified) been called historically 'Latin' and 'German' cultures. Greece and Italy work very differently in terms of governance than Northern and Central Europe.
Other point is about the difference of covid responses compared to the lack thereof on other issues. This is pretty much a prime example of what Carl Schmitt called the State of Exception. Covid is a pretty rare occasion in modern times where all the red tape and bureaucracy gets pushed aside and states actually exercise sovereign power, and that just brings differences much more to the surface, both across the pond and here on the continent.
- wk_end 5y agoCan you elaborate on how Austrian politics are weird/tend to differ from Germany’s, in your view? I lived in Germany for a bit and have visited Austria, but am otherwise ignorant, so I’m not doubting you or anything - that just sounds interesting.
- User23 5y agoEven within the Federal Repubic the difference between the States is huge. Bavaria is a very different place from North Rhine-Westphalia. One could argue that the Bavarians have more in common with the Austrians culturally.
- detaro 5y agoAnd the states hold quite some authority in health matters, so this does directly impacts how they react, and coordinating things among them has cost a lot of effort and time.
- User23 5y agoIt wasn’t so long ago that they were more or less independent kingdoms, palatinates, principalities, free cities, and several more that don’t spring to mind. Europe is a treasure trove of cultural diversity and Germany especially so since it took so long to unite. Italy is another good example of the phenomenon.
- Barrin92 5y agoin particular since the 70s and the 80s and the rise of the Freedom Party centering around the fairly eccentric Jörg Haider Austria developed a very particular nationalism (partially pan-German) that is ironically more or less absent in post-war Germany. Austria much earlier than a few other European countries had a much more populist streak whereas Germany even now is fairly consensus oriented and stable. It's a sort of mix of libertarianism, nationalism, conservatism and questions of national identity that seem very at the front of Austrian politics in a way that you barely have in Germany.
- oceanghost 5y agoI don't know much about Europe, but I do have some friends in Italy who just seem-- comically inflamed by everything much like what goes on in the US. Is there a pattern there or do I just have crazy friends?
- CRConrad 5y agoI'd say it's a pattern; people up here in the north of Europe are often also rather inflamed by what goes on in the USA. Not that I see anything peculiar in that; I am often inflamed by it, too. What feels weird to us is more how so many Americans aren't enraged by many things that happen over there.
- oceanghost 5y agoI have tried for a few hours now to try to formulate a reasonable expository response to your reply, but I think its just beyond explanation... one might invoke the phrase "ineffable." As an American-- there are plenty of very real "conspiracies" (our banking system, our medical system, our economic system, Jeffery Epstein) that are completely ignored while a substantial portion of our populace tilts at (imagined) windmills. I have no explanation other than that, a significant sub-population of our people must be absolute morons.
- CRConrad 5y ago> As an American-- there are plenty of very real "conspiracies" (our banking system, our medical system, our economic system, Jeffery Epstein) So that's at least five, then...