Sociologist Rosa criticizes the communication of the “Zeitenwende”

The German government must not neglect the vision for a “more peaceful world” at this time of change, says sociologist Hartmut Rosa. The current communication is already having fatal consequences.

tagesschau.de: The federal and state governments are discussing Germany’s defense capabilities today. Last week, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius presented the idea of ​​a new military service. Has a new era arrived in politics and society?

Hartmut Rosa: At least not as expected. The way the “turning point” is being communicated and practiced at the moment has fatal consequences. This is shown by the latest election results as well as surveys on mental health, exhaustion and feelings of loneliness. The values ​​have all worsened.

tagesschau.de: You criticize the term “turning point” itself. Why is it problematic for you?

Pink: There were wars before the Ukraine war. Take Afghanistan, Iraq or Yugoslavia. But despite wars, epidemics, piracy and torture, the conviction in the past was always: we must do it, we can do it and we will manage to overcome these and create a more peaceful and fairer world order.

With the turning point, Olaf Scholz made it clear that we should give up this hope. The future is war. That had a profound effect on the population.

“Need a story with Future horizon”

tagesschau.de: What do you mean by that?

Pink: Take the daily news. Boris Pistorius says that within five years we must be able to wage war against Russia. In doing so, he is telling the population that their previous assumptions were an illusion. Their children will live in a worse world than their parents.

In political imagery, the future today is one long defensive battle on a downward sloping path. Against the Russians. Against climate change. Against economic decline. Against the AfD. Against migration. This creates hopelessness and anger.

tagesschau.de: What would be the alternative?

Pink: If we want to know how people are doing, we must not ask what they haverather, where she goPeople perceive their lives as a movement. And there is currently a perception of a movement towards a single dark wall of wars, epidemics and climate catastrophes.

Politicians must therefore frame the task of increasing defence efforts differently. It needs a story with a future horizon. It can certainly say: we need a stronger Bundeswehr so ​​that we can defend ourselves in case of doubt, and perhaps also a general year of service. That can make sense for all sorts of reasons.

But in the long term, it must want to create a new peace order. If you just tell the population that the future will be armaments and war, then that won’t work.

“Politics is frozen in defensive battles”

tagesschau.de: The SPD has been portraying Olaf Scholz as a “peace chancellor” for months and has put up large posters of his face with the word “peace” during the European election campaign. Why didn’t that work?

Pink: Because it is not enough. We need a vision of how things can get better in the future, how we can work towards the dream or goal of a more peaceful world, no matter how difficult it may be.

Current arms deliveries do not stand in the way of such a vision. On the contrary: Scholz would probably find much greater acceptance for this if he made it clear that he is sticking to the goal of a pan-European and even global security architecture despite all the current difficulties and setbacks.

tagesschau.de: Shortly after the announcement of the turning point, you expressed concern that it could overshadow other crises. Do you feel this is confirmed?

Pink: Politics is frozen in defensive battles. We are not talking about minimizing the reasons for fleeing, but about keeping migrants out of the country. And the Russians. And the influence of China.

The globalized world needs collective solutions – against the ecological crisis, against diseases such as Covid-19, against global inequality. Those who focus so much on their ability to wage war cannot solve other crises. With the scaling back of climate targets and a possible suspension of the supply chain law, we are already experiencing setbacks on other fronts.

“Discourse has become more intense”

tagesschau.de: Nevertheless, politicians cannot neglect the protection of their own population and the future of Ukraine.

Pink: It should not. However, the discourse has been brought to a head with the question: Are you for Ukraine or for Russia? That is utter nonsense – and a problem. According to a recent survey, the AfD and BSW would have a Majority of seats in the next state parliament. This is worrying.

Personally, I absolutely want us to support Ukraine. But if support only means continuing to supply weapons without negotiating, then that is absurd. In the end, there will probably be a solution that is painful for both sides. But it is important to at least design this solution as intelligently and with foresight as possible, so that no foundations are laid for further bloody conflicts.

tagesschau.de: Why is a vision so important when the current crises are so concrete?

Pink: In the social sciences, we tend to look primarily at people’s possessions and income; at their health care, their housing situation. And then we notice a strange discrepancy. People very often say that they actually have everything, that they are doing well, but unfortunately they are totally unhappy. They are angry citizens, so to speak.

Our perception of whether we live in good or bad times depends less on what we have, but rather on what we are moving towards.

“Long-term development that is now gaining momentum”

tagesschau.de: Do you also notice these effects in other countries?

Pink: The central promise of modernity no longer applies. Your children will not have it any better than you. This is the case worldwide. Around 70 percent of parents in Korea, China, Latin America and the USA see it this way. There is a sense of despondency. The data for mental health among young people worldwide is catastrophic.

tagesschau.de: Do you also attribute this to politics?

Pink: It is a long-term development that is now gaining momentum. The number of nuclear weapons ready for use is rising again, even dramatically. Such news also worries young people. And anyone like French President Macron who creates the image that we will soon be sending ground troops to Ukraine should not be surprised if people then vote for parties like the AfD and BSW or their French counterparts.

Maybe we cannot do without weapons right now. But responsible politics must also focus on disarmament. The solution does not lie in the question: “Taurus” – yes or no? But rather: What does a conceivable future look like?

The interview was conducted by Thomas Vorreyer, tagesschau.de.