Friedrich Merz recently complained again about the “eternal grumbling” of Germans in a summer interview. Sociologist Armin Nassehi sees it differently: The discontent is not simply a character trait but has a political function. In an interview with Tagesspiegel, he explains his counter-thesis.
Asked whether Merz’s diagnosis of a chronically grumbling country is accurate, Nassehi gives a nuanced response. One must distinguish between concrete criticism of the federal government’s policies and a generalized, undifferentiated expression of displeasure. The latter, the “badmouthing,” does exist. But the grumbling Merz complains about is part of an elite criticism that is currently stronger than ever.
Nassehi thus questions the chancellor’s implicit assumption: It is not the people who are the problem, but the relationship between the governed and the governing. The persistent criticism is an expression of distrust toward political decision-makers – and thus a serious signal, not mere whining.
Source: www.tagesspiegel.de
