The New Right: antipluralistic, authoritarian, dictatorial. – Politics

There are many different ways of writing about the dangers of right-wing extremism. Alarmed and rousing, for example – or sober and distant, as political scientist Armin Pfahl-Traughber has become accustomed to. Some may find this style inappropriate, even trivializing it. But the value of a cool analysis can be immense.

In his new book, Pfahl-Traughber, who teaches at the Federal University for Public Administration in Brühl, provides an overview and classification of the New Right in Germany based on precise definitions. This is useful for anyone who wants to find out about the development of right-wing extremism. In many debates, the term “New Right” is used rather unspecifically for numerous actors and phenomena, from Thilo Sarrazin to Pegida to the AfD. Pfahl-Traughber pulls the circle tighter.

Supporters of the “Conservative Revolution”

Ideology, strategy and organization serve as criteria for differentiation from others in the spectrum of right-wing conservatism and right-wing extremism. Ideologically, the present-day New Right is supporters of the “Conservative Revolution” as it was propagated during the Weimar Republic. authors like Carl SchmittArthur Moeller van den Bruck and Edgar Julius Jung drummed against the young democracy.

Organizationally, the New Right is a rather loose group of intellectuals, although they are associated with Götz Kubitscheks “Institute for State Policy” has now developed a certain structure. Strategically, the focus is on a “battle for heads,” a cultural revolution from the right. The New Right want to create the intellectual conditions for a political upheaval.

Despite or precisely because of his emphatically objective perspective, Pfahl-Traughber ultimately comes to a furious verdict: the New Right, who behave as an intellectual avant-garde, are intellectual low-flyers. The author doesn’t say it that way, he puts it more elegantly, but that’s exactly what his verdict amounts to. Who are these intellectuals who cannot systematically justify their policies and values? “Many of the terms you use are not defined more precisely, many of the requirements are not clearly developed.” At one point Pfahl-Traughber even speaks of an “intellectual disaster”.

What is being German? No idea!

The nation and an ethno-cultural identity are invoked, but their meaning and characteristics are not clearly explained. “The authors of the New Right are not only unable to justify what ‘being German’ is and means, they can’t even describe it.”

Anyone who wants to be more precise and specific will be fobbed off by the New Right with phrases and generalities. Your concept of the state is diffuse, a fundamental programmatic work is missing. For Pfahl-Traughber, the fact that the New Right refers positively to the “Conservative Revolution” is an unmistakable indication of their extremism.

Danger for the open society

Accordingly, the New Right are not simply conservative and “right-wing”, as must be the case in any democracy. They are right-wing extremists – and therefore a challenge and possibly a serious threat to open society. The ideology of the New Right is anti-pluralistic, authoritarian, dictatorial.

Her “fascination with a fascist habitus” was also striking. This means, among other things: actionism, fixation on the enemy, fighting spirit, rigor, will for power and willingness to make sacrifices. On the other hand, there is no open commitment to fascist content among the New Right.

Easily exposed as a slob

The fact that their anti-democratic attitude is not always obvious is due to the rhetorical confusion with which these extremists aim for cultural hegemony. The danger they pose should neither be overestimated nor underestimated. In view of their intellectual weaknesses, Pfahl-Traughber considers objective critique of ideology, but also forms of satire to be suitable means of disenchantment. In this way, the New Right can be exposed for what they are: crooks.

Open detailed view

But are these means enough if the New Right are by no means the only actors trying to occupy public space with right-wing extremist positions? Although the author sees important connections between the New Right and parts of the AfD, for example, his analysis focuses on the inner circle of “intellectuals”.

Wolfgang Schroeder’s research complements the findings

A broader research project on the encroachment of right-wing populists and right-wing extremists in civil society provides an illuminating supplement. A team led by political scientist Wolfgang Schroeder from Kassel has examined how clubs and associations, churches, trade unions and cultural institutions are reacting to the challenge from the right.

While Pfahl-Traughber’s book is obviously aimed at a broad audience, the Kassel study is written as a research report that is formulated in a less straightforward manner. The team asked the representatives of numerous organizations about their dealings with right-wing populist or right-wing extremist actors. The results are reassuring at first glance: “Neither in terms of personnel nor in terms of content, there are signs of right-wing land grabbing in the organized structures.”

Open detailed view

“Low-threshold politicization from the right”

Nevertheless, the research team does not want to give the all-clear. There was a “low-threshold politicization from the right” in civil society. Above all, the large organizations such as churches, trade unions and sports associations are being challenged more frequently and more intensely, both from within and from outside. For them, involvement in government activities provides a “reference point that can be mobilized.” In plain language: They are perceived as part of the system that the right-wing extremists want to overcome.

The study shows that civil society organizations are very sensitive to this danger – however, they rate their own concern as less dangerous than that of society as a whole. The internal resources for the “fight for heads” are scarce, and in many places there is already a lack of systematic documentation of right-wing extremist incidents.

Since actors such as the New Right sometimes cleverly wrap up or hide their ideological core, targeted further training for civil society organizations also makes sense. The necessary basic literature for this is available.