January 13, 2013
Democracy and Economy
Goethe-Institut London
Each in its own way, the metropolises of Beijing and London embody the relationship between economy and society. In Great Britain, neo-liberal economic theory is firmly established. The liberalisation of the financial markets was rigorously advanced during the 1980’s. At the same time, Great Britain’s democratic tradition is one of Europe’s oldest. But Beijing as the political hub of China’s rapid rise as an economic power can also be viewed as a benchmark of modern capitalism. Since the opening of the country’s economy in the late 1970’s, China’s economy has been growing without interruption. It is estimated that in 2050 China will be the world’s greatest economic power. Observers of this development predicted that the economic opening would lead to a democratisation of the country. However, at least until now, there has been no evidence of this happening. This raises the question of whether autocracy and a market economy are mutually exclusive, whether increasing prosperity necessarily leads to demands for participatory rights.
In this context, the “post-democracy” debate currently taking place in Europe is of particular interest. According to this diagnosis by Colin Crouch (U.K.), decisive areas of western societies are determined by economic interests: democratically legitimated representatives act only as managers of factual constraints and represent the interests of multinational corporations and lobby groups. The tendency of European governments in the financial crisis to transfer decisions from parliaments to expert commissions with reference to the need for haste dictated by the markets appears to support this interpretation. The unanimous criticism of European governments of the planned, then cancelled referendum in Greece revealed this with especial clarity. Is democracy therefore more of a hindrance to a flourishing economy than not? Are public political decisions becoming a luxury good?
In western discourse, market economy and democracy constitute a unity – individuals have the freedom of economic and political self-determination. But how is the connection between economy and politics being discussed in China? Where do dependencies, common interests and lines of conflict between politics and economy exist there? What is the basis of discourse about “the obligation to act” - for instance through economic interests – in politics? The discussion between Beijing, London and Munich focuses on the cultural foundations of the relationship between politics and economy.
Munich
Moderation: Ralf Müller-Schmid
Speaker: Axel Honneth, Ingo Schulze
Ticket service Münchner Kammerspiele (9€ / 5€ reduced)
London
Moderation: John Kampfner
Speaker: Mark Fisher, Anders Lustgarten, Simon Stephens
Beijing
Moderation: Wang Ge
Sprecher: Cui Zhiyuan, Lu Xing-Hua
In this context, the “post-democracy” debate currently taking place in Europe is of particular interest. According to this diagnosis by Colin Crouch (U.K.), decisive areas of western societies are determined by economic interests: democratically legitimated representatives act only as managers of factual constraints and represent the interests of multinational corporations and lobby groups. The tendency of European governments in the financial crisis to transfer decisions from parliaments to expert commissions with reference to the need for haste dictated by the markets appears to support this interpretation. The unanimous criticism of European governments of the planned, then cancelled referendum in Greece revealed this with especial clarity. Is democracy therefore more of a hindrance to a flourishing economy than not? Are public political decisions becoming a luxury good?
In western discourse, market economy and democracy constitute a unity – individuals have the freedom of economic and political self-determination. But how is the connection between economy and politics being discussed in China? Where do dependencies, common interests and lines of conflict between politics and economy exist there? What is the basis of discourse about “the obligation to act” - for instance through economic interests – in politics? The discussion between Beijing, London and Munich focuses on the cultural foundations of the relationship between politics and economy.
Munich
Moderation: Ralf Müller-Schmid
Speaker: Axel Honneth, Ingo Schulze
Ticket service Münchner Kammerspiele (9€ / 5€ reduced)
London
Moderation: John Kampfner
Speaker: Mark Fisher, Anders Lustgarten, Simon Stephens
Beijing
Moderation: Wang Ge
Sprecher: Cui Zhiyuan, Lu Xing-Hua
