Conservative politicians like Merz get into power -> the overall situation for the average citizen gets worse -> far right parties parties gain popularity
That’s a bit too simplified, tbh.
From the 76 years of Federal Republic of Germany until now, only 24 have not been under a conservative chancellor and the overall situation for the average citizen has definitely improved in those 76 years. I’d argue the problem isn’t conservative politicians per se, it is that politicians such as Merz apparently cannot offer what is needed at this moment.
It improved in spite of them, not because of them. Worker organizing and direct action is the stick that forces governments to occasionally go against their capitalist overlords; remove that and the current state of the West is what you get.
I agree that the overall situation has improved, but there’s policies like the entire pension system that are fundamentally broken and requires more and more money each year, but enacting significant changes is something a conservative party just won’t do. And there’s stuff that could be done, like the Scandinavian model where part of the pension fond is invested in the stock market, or just reintroducing a wealth tax, among other things. But you need a progressive party to do anything except keep the status quo and watch everything go to shit. (Well I guess the AfD would also enact significant changes but let’s not get into that)
That’s a bit too simplified, tbh.
From the 76 years of Federal Republic of Germany until now, only 24 have not been under a conservative chancellor and the overall situation for the average citizen has definitely improved in those 76 years. I’d argue the problem isn’t conservative politicians per se, it is that politicians such as Merz apparently cannot offer what is needed at this moment.
It improved in spite of them, not because of them. Worker organizing and direct action is the stick that forces governments to occasionally go against their capitalist overlords; remove that and the current state of the West is what you get.
So much this!
I agree that the overall situation has improved, but there’s policies like the entire pension system that are fundamentally broken and requires more and more money each year, but enacting significant changes is something a conservative party just won’t do. And there’s stuff that could be done, like the Scandinavian model where part of the pension fond is invested in the stock market, or just reintroducing a wealth tax, among other things. But you need a progressive party to do anything except keep the status quo and watch everything go to shit. (Well I guess the AfD would also enact significant changes but let’s not get into that)