On October 8th, important state elections will take place in Bavaria and Hesse, which are significant for the entire country of Germany.
Both countries are not easily bypassed. They are located in the middle of Germany and Europe, which is a natural advantage as long as one does not encounter a wall when heading east or west. This is especially beneficial in a globally competitive environment. Additionally, Bavaria has historically benefited from companies relocating from East Germany to Bavaria, possibly supported by the federal government, as Bavaria was a net recipient of financial transfers at that time. Bavaria is also known for initiating tax reduction competition in Germany. After reunification, EU expansion, the creation of the common EU market with its obligation to grant economic and individual freedoms, and the introduction of the Euro, both Bavaria and Hesse experienced significant economic and population growth under these favorable conditions. This was particularly evident in the metropolitan regions of Rhein-Main and Munich.
Damit gewann auch die, schon lange zurückgehend, von den Manchester-Liberalisten und Verfassungs-Vermögens- und Einkünfte-Schützer beeinflusste Österreichische Schule der politischen Ökonomie bei uns an Einfluss. Vor allem eben auch in Bayern und Hessen, beziehungsweise dem Rhein-Main-Gebiet.
Vor allem die proprietäre Verfassungs-/Sozialvertragsethik hierzulande bekam dann noch umfangreiche Unterstützung aus den USA rund um die von den Koch-Brüdern finanzierten und von Professoren wie James M. Buchanan in wunschgemäß zurechtgerücktem Rückgriff auf Aristoteles ideologisch geformten Instituten an der George Mason Universität in West-Virginia.
Although their followers are mainly in the FDP and probably more or less directly, at least earlier, also active in the AfD. But above all, the CDU/CSU has been following this line since the first Red-Yellow government in the 70s, starting with Wolfram Engels, for which ordoliberalism mainly consists of maintaining the obligation to grant economic and individual freedoms, especially externally but also internally as far as possible. After the German people allowed a government without the Union, they looked across the pond for new possibilities and enticing stories for the people. There were and still are some influential proprietary families there.
Eben zum Beispiel die Kochs. Da wundert es nicht wenn der deutsche Ordoliberalismus; schon in der ersten Version eher eine „sozial-sparsame“ Variante der Institutionenökonomie der historischen Schule der deutschen National Ökonomie, nur ohne außen Betrachtung, dass sollte ja von Natur aus meist und erstmal für uns passen, wenn international nur der Freiheitszwang herrscht; dann auch noch mit Buchanans streng individualistischer Sozialvertragsethik verheiratet wurde. Die besagt, dass es legitim ist wenn jeder schaut, dass eine Verfassung, und die wollen wirklich nur eine, nichts enthält was einem aus welchen Gründen auch immer nicht zusagt.
Nur gilt bei der Versorgung mit dem nachhaltig Nötigen eben Keynes Grundsatz: „Auf lange Sicht sind wir alle Tod“. Also wenn sich etwas erst später mal oder nur meist hinreichend grundsichernd bewehrt, ist man bis dahin schon gestorben. Oder tut es in einem der „nicht-meist“ Fälle.
Und international braucht man eben hinreichend viele Verbündete die eine für einen selbst zumindest hinreichend nachhaltig passende internationale Ordnung mit aufrechterhalten wollen.
If one suddenly no longer adheres to their own laws, such as those for maintaining a balance in foreign trade, because they are currently accumulating surpluses that are easily marketable during elections, one should consider, out of self-interest, not to overdo it at the expense of too many others, especially with regard to the future.
So ein Laufen lassen eines Überschusses, wohl auch durch Tolerieren von Target-2-Ungleichgewichten, hat sich Deutschland vorher noch nie erlaubt. Und auch international ist zumindest ein Gewährungszwang ohne gemeinsamen Bundeststaat wie in die EU-Verfassung beinhaltet, meines Wissens, historisch ein Erstfall.
Max Weber already said that we have a natural and therefore unfair advantage under open conditions in a free market.
An ongoing lack of fairness often leads to war.
Due to another war, the Ukraine-Russia war, it is now questionable whether we still have a natural advantage in the new Eastern trade borders and whether we can still be unfair. However, the war is also a terrible example of how the „Europeans“, including those living outside, currently fail to handle historical upheavals such as the shift in influence and power after 1990 in a sufficiently fair and peaceful manner. Both NATO/Ukraine and Russia currently want, in my previously stated opinion, to unfairly gain a lot (at least too quickly to be fairly assessed). In the case of the only two nuclear superpowers, too much becomes too expensive quickly.
Since the collapse of the USSR, the destructive tendencies of „excess“ and „more“ among Europeans have increasingly turned inward, against themselves. We are now competing against each other as „winners“. While this may initially seem better than during the times of imperialism, it is still detrimental. Economically and militarily, we are now only fighting each other within the West, rather than in the world.
Die wird’s mit Grauen sehen. Sowohl historisch als auch als Furcht, diese „die Krim/Cherson noch“- oder „mehr Exportüberschuss“- Wahngier richtet sich bald wieder gegen die Welt als nur gegen uns untereinander.
It would not be surprising; it would be almost as negligent as not checking if there is something between China and Europe that we should not leave to others too much, just like 500 years ago; if the rest of the world has been trying with more or less emphasis since the 70s to exploit our winning energies, in the sense of „if they argue enough, we can be happy“, or at least not to be exploited again/ further, consciously driving something into the „we only against each other“. Also ideologically supported by free market and „once given away is ours forever, otherwise war“.
Immerhin kannte China die Herrn Engels und Gutowski ja auch schon in den 1980ern persönlich. Die werden also gewusst haben was wir da langsam alles auf unsern Pelz loslassen und wie man da noch was beisteuern könnte.
And nowadays, one must also keep an eye on the virtual rest of the world. If you accidentally dismiss the wrong „Friday“ there, another one might be „wanted“ and intentionally upset, fearing its imminent shutdown in a way that is fatal for us but not easily comprehensible enough.
And while we’re on the subject of Fridays:
Also international kommt die Europa-EU Diskussion auch prominenter und positiv kritischer wieder ins Rollen:Varoufakis: Die schwindende Demokratie in Europa in der Freitag.
And the parties in the election campaign in Hesse and Bavaria, especially the Union and the SPD, are pretending as if all these developments and current and danger states do not exist. As if the world were a skilled worker tree, where one could simply secure the best skilled fruits by saying „maybe it won’t harm anyone, but let’s not investigate because ignorance protects against consequences“. If one has not previously limited this option, more or less seduced or confused, by prohibiting the prohibition of prohibitions for what is allowed. And that is only the impression when driving through southwest Hesse. When the Greens in Bavaria advertise with „Take back your future“, it sounds somewhat like a Russian military advertisement for recruits. Should one immediately fear that „dat“ „Bachmut“ will also be included in their plans? In their program, instead of celebrating „successes together in the EU“, they only mention „celebrating common successes“. However, the problem is precisely that these common successes actually only benefit a few. Maybe we should ask the ex-Googler how to become more aware of oneself and the overall situation. He might still have time and need money in the USA.
Und das Bayern SPD Programm liest sich wie „Erwirtschaften mit Steuerdumping.“ Eine Meinung zum Verteilen wir erst gar nicht geäußert. Oder ob man auch zu viel auf Kosten anderer Erwirtschaften kann.
And the CSU does not write like the federal CDU did back then „earn instead of distribute“, the phrase writer is probably now active in the SPD and Greens, but if after almost 20 years of gladly exploiting naturally and historically grown location advantages, even with social dumping, they continue to write that „social is what creates work“, one should also turn to the ex-„Googler“. Artificial extensions of intelligence are also available for natural will. But probably lacking the necessary insight in terms of (social). And at the FDP Bavaria, „live and let live“ and a lean state apparently means everyone only lives their own life and above all does not allow others to have a fair share of life through the state. But as always, one will have to read several books by FDP consultants to see this assessment confirmed. And the election program of the FDP Hesse reads almost like that of the SPD Bavaria: only as a difference, earning individually instead of as a skilled worker collective. Distribution is also not mentioned here. Was the same agency engaged for the programs? Although with the SPD and Greens, hopefully more people who are enthusiastic about fair distribution internally and externally would enter the parliaments than with the FDP. So hopefully much more. But those voters with corresponding beliefs or concerns must inform themselves there. That exceeds my time budget. And as a social person, I do not see an automatic reason to exceed budgets.
Und die beiden „Parteien die Linke“ fordern zwar vorbildhaft erwirtschaften und verteilen. Aber der Punkt „Außenwirtschaftliches Gleichgewicht“ fehlt hier auch. Stattdessen durften sich die Anti-Militärs wieder austoben. Wenn auch eher nur im Gesamtprogramm.
And when the SPD Hessen states that they want to fight for all people in Hessen to have a good and secure life, and for that reason, they want to bring the best forces to Hessen, one wonders why they absolutely had to leave out the cooperative, fair distribution aspect externally. For sustainable sufficiency, one needs a sufficiently interregional-national distribution order, as economic dynamics fluctuate too much under equal conditions for it to always be sufficient in the long run. Just generating income is politically insufficient. And under unequal conditions, the rest will want to leave as soon as possible. That will not remain calm enough in the long run.
Und die Freien Wähler wirken jeweils wie ein regionaler Interessens-Verein inhaltlich mehr oder weniger etwas rechts und etwas zu Hayek.
And the AfD is, according to their program and impression, leaning further to the right and towards Hayek. Unfortunately, in terms of the expected election outcome, they are the only ones besides the Left party who openly advocate for a good relationship with Russia. They do not agree with the extreme demilitarization of Crimea, the lack of a fair referendum on who wants to go where, and the absence of a land bridge and ice-free military port for Russia, except maybe Ukraine agreeing voluntarily. Following the motto that if a government leader gives away something important during a time of upheaval, the country must be prevented from reclaiming it by all conventional means. Even if it is fair and necessary, because that’s how the non-parliamentary unchangeable „Those who adhere too much to it are history“ rules are. And the problem is not that Putin wants too much or doesn’t allow time to evaluate, but rather that after closing the land bridge over a year ago, he simply added Cherson to the hollow list.
It is unbelievable and historically unprecedented that hardly any of the elected officials share this insight. It is not even attempted to be factually refuted. This concerns so many human lives and our future. Just waiting until Biden and the Democrats have dug themselves deep enough for every Republican to be elected as president is great for a few amok proprietors. But even that is not realistic. Most Republicans probably wouldn’t even be elected if the alternative was suicide. One can at least hope. Hopefully, someone will step up as a Democratic primary candidate before that. They seem a bit dazed at the moment.
Unfortunately, once again, it is disappointing that there is no party in Germany’s elections that I can confidently say is sufficiently secure and aligned with what I consider to be sustainably important and fair enough, to not prefer having such a sufficient group of candidates. However, it takes at least two people to start a party. As far as I know, it cannot be done alone.
Let’s hope and keep our fingers crossed that it will remain fair and tolerable.