My favorite is “Crass”. I’m sitting in the spring of 1995 with three other young journalists in a meeting room of the Zurich “Tages-Anzeiger”. We are working on a name for our new weekly newspaper Supplement for youth. Many of the proposals making the rounds, because of the also present: Roger de Weck, the then editor-in-chief of the “Tagi”, suddenly says, “Seriously!”
The playful “Serious,” there were up to 2000. In 2020, the situation is serious. So the now-retired de Weck (66) sees it in terms of democracy. He has published a weighty book, in which he warns of the danger of authoritarian, Reactionary, and at the same time, the power of democracy summons. Because it is so beautiful on the book jacket: “We are what we wait.” Salvation does not come from others, we need to save democracy itself.
“The power of democracy” is a clever book with clever analysis and psychic instructions. The Swiss journalist on shows in a Chapter on how Switzerland has become, with the dynasty of Blocher to the “avant-garde populism,” and with James Schwarzenbach (1911 to 1994) the “prototype of today’s right-wing populists” on the Plan brings. And he creates amazing Parallels open from black Bach, National action (NA) and today’s Alternative for Germany (AfD).
“Why, actually, does not want to make the liberal democracy fit for the future?”, de Weck asks. “Why debate the Democrats only very sporadically about the new institutions at the height of the digital age?” And he also makes a proposal: “Why not, depending on the state, a second or third chamber: an environmental chamber?” There and in some other points in the book – must be de Weck accusations, he ride too complacent on the green wave.
Just once, I have annoyed me about the book, where de Weck calls for good journalism and good democracy. This desire in itself is not objectionable, but the former “time”editor-in-chief, however in this Chapter, populism and tabloid journalism and discredited with this juxtaposition, the Latter. And he cites for his argument, of all things, the writers Lukas Bärfuss (48), writes regularly for the Sunday view magazine.
When de Weck questioned, both populism and tabloid journalism would manage emotions, then, democracy-friendly politicians will have to copy this agent and for your purposes of use. Because with emotions, you will reach the masses. And ultimately, in democracies, always, is to win majorities. “We are, we wait.” We all.
Elitist against Reactionary, in this context, little. Because democracy is not from the ivory tower, but on the Boulevard. And I haven’t learned at the time, as a fresh Ph. D. in German at least, with your “Seriously,” dear Roger.
Roger de Weck, “The power of democracy – a response to the authoritarian Reactionary”, Suhrkamp
