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What could probably work out well for them is the opposite of a "fresh approach". In an interview today, one of the new members of parliament said that he sees
by mhd 15y ago
What could probably work out well for them is the opposite of a "fresh approach". In an interview today, one of the new members of parliament said that he sees the PP as representing classical liberalism, as opposed to the FDP's neo-liberalism. That would be something to unite behind, beyond straight-forward internet themes. But we'll have to see whether it's something the whole party can agree on.
In its ideal form, that's something good about the German electoral system. Due to the fact that traditionally most parts need a coalition to form a government, you can have some kind of "mixin" system, i.e. vote for a party because it adds something valuable to the whole effort, not because you could see them govern totally on their own. Especially if the party isn't tied to one particular big sibling, which more and more seems to be the case now.
- hef19898 15y agoThat's what I meant. Apparently, the old is the new fresh, or something like that. :-) What I expect from them is representation of civil rights and personal freedom in society. And you don't even have to be part of the government to do that in Germany. Just one question, you are from Germany, aren't you?
- mhd 15y agoYup (well, Bavaria, which technically does count). But while I do hope that the Pirates emerge as a new center for social liberalism, which was pretty much dismantled in the early '80s when the FDP turned towards a new wind, I'm a bit worried whether that's achievable. I would love to be wrong, but I can't see a coherent picture emerging from that much grassroots democracy.
- hef19898 15y agoMe too, the Bavaria part, and yes, we only technically count ;-). The only hope i have in the long run for the pirates, or whatever name the movement adopts one day, is that they are not going the way of any new party and turn the new greens eventually.
- mhd 15y agoConsidering that the biggest problem the Greens have right now is that basically every other party is pretty keen on environmental issues, too, and so they've become somewhat superfluous, I wouldn't mind the same happening to the pirates ;)
- hef19898 15y agoIf you see it like that, you're right! I rather meant the fact that the green turned into yet another mainstream party with the same political infighting.
- eru 15y agoFunny thing is that neo-liberalism actually used to have a different meaning in Germany. That meaning also had a synonym called Ordoliberalism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordoliberalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordoliberalism), that didn't change so much in meaning. Anyway, the Pirateparty also has a substantial social democratic background, so calling their stance social liberalism is probably more sensible. (Using the European meaning of liberalism.)
- mhd 15y agoI was basically quoting the terms from the interview. You're right, social liberalism is probably the more appropriate term. We do seem to like the word "social" here in Germany, even the "right-wing" parties like to use it, albeit not in the strictly socialist sense, of course. No prosperity gospel here. Probably because all the Calvinists ended up somewhere else…
- eru 15y agoSome historians even use the term social-monarchy (as opposed to social-democracy) to describe the last German Empire.