4 ms·
That's what constitutions are for.
by version_five 3y ago
That's what constitutions are for.
- JumpCrisscross 3y agoAgree. The structural solution is a weaker, better checked and balanced Berlin. The classic form of that solution is enhanced federalism and devolution of power. But the EU offers another path: closer political integration.
- purerandomness 3y agoExactly, and because you're right, the Nazi's playbook is having some historic event - let's say, a Reichstag Fire [1] or something - disabling the constitution on day 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire#Political_consequences https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire#Political_conse...
- orra 3y agoI'll point out that banning parties who would seek to destroy democracy is part of the German constitution. Article 21. There's no irony here. What is being mooted is something deliberately introduced in the immediate aftermath of the Nazis and World War II, to prevent a reoccurrence. (I've slightly lost the thread here, so I'm not 100% certain you're disagreeing.)
- Manuel_D 3y agoThe irony is that banning political parties on the grounds of threatening the German state is exactly that the Nazis did after Hitler became chancellor with the Reichstag Fire Decree. And the same thing East Germany did to cement communist control. "We have to disenfranchise you to protect democracy" is a self defeating idea.
- version_five 3y agoI wasn't aware of that, my notion of a good constitution is that you should be comfortable with your worst enemy wielding the powers it grants. I'm curious what checks there are on Article 21 then. It seems like a no brainer that an unfriendly government count just declare all their opposition enemies of democracy. How is that power limited?
- undersuit 3y agoIt's a document. It can't do anything. You have to help enforce it's content.