English Summary #5

Social cohesion and unity are extremely vital components to any functioning society, and develop from a shared history. This shared history generally expresses itself through similar values on topics such as tradition and equality, as well similar political ideals on issues like immigration and climate change. However, across much of the West, including Germany, these essential ingredients of a successful nation have been strained by various emergencies, including COVID-19, mass migration, and the War in Ukraine. Many nations which were once united by shared principles are now fractured by a wide variety of different political beliefs. Are these merely minor strains, or is our social unity in the West in serious danger? Furthermore, what is causing this growing divide? Clara Dilger, a sociologist and doctoral student from Leipzig, tried to get to the bottom of these questions in her lecture on 23 May.

First, it is important to understand what has led us to this situation. Since 2020, the West has suffered a wide variety of crises which have come as a shock to much of society. Starting off, the COVID-19 pandemic spread like a wildfire through the world, pushing many nations to enact harsh lockdowns as a result. These lockdowns had significant social repercussions, which ranged from disrupting traditional social ties to causing many people to move more towards political extremes. The War in Ukraine also had a similar effect. Especially in Germany, which has often closer ties to Russia than other NATO powers, many citizens were against their government sending weapons and other supplies to Ukraine. And of course, the sudden spike in inflation, which is generally attributed to a combination of the two other factors mentioned above, has also driven a stake through Germany’s social cohesion.

“Cleavage Theory” is a political theory which provides an explanation for much of the divisions recently seen in western society. Traditionally, the core idea of this theory is that political disunity can be explained as tension between lines of conflict in society. According to this worldview, these lines of conflict are between capital and labor, church and state, urban and rural areas, and between the central and peripheral authorities of a nation. In the last few decades, additional theoretical lines of conflict have emerged. These include the divides between the political left and right, between financial and environmental interests, and between cosmopolitan and communitarian ideologies. For the sake of clarity, all of these friction areas can be simplified into a single paradigm: traditionalism versus modernism. Traditionalism generally entails the political right, including the church and financial and capital interests, while modernism is made up by the political left and also includes cosmopolitan and environmental viewpoints. This final has been especially problematic in recent years, with the divide between different political ideals seeming to widen further and further as time goes on.

Despite all of this, it is likely that the division of society is highly exaggerated. News corporations and social media have amplified the voices of those on the political extremes. This has happened because of the simple reason that content that creates outrage gets more attention, and therefore generates more revenue. However, studies that surveyed everyday people on their political views found that the vast majority of the population take relatively moderate stances on most social issues. While the minority of people who are extremists get a large amount of media attention, it is reassuring to know that they do not represent the majority of the population. Even though the divide between people in the West has been growing, this situation is still entirely solvable, if we are able to put aside our differences and work together for a better future again.