What Germany News Says About the USA

Princeton study as a warning to Europe: US is no longer a democracy

deutsche-wirtschafts-nachrichten.de /2015/04/26/princeton-studie-als-warnung-an-europa-usa-sind-keine-demokratie-mehr/

Angela Merkel and US President Barack Obama: A new study shows that the development of democracy in the US is not suitable as a model for Europe. (Photo: AP)

A recent study at Princeton University comes to an astonishing result: The US is no longer a democracy, because political decisions no longer serve the needs of citizens, but the interests of a small economic elite. The findings are also important in terms of foreign policy: If there are conflicts - such as those against Russia - escalate, it is the US government not to protect the interests of the American people, but hard-hitting commercial considerations. 

Passionate transatlanticist argue like that, who criticized the US policy, at the same betrayal practice at one of the oldest and most vibrant democracies in the world. Especially in the conflict with Russia that are tirelessly striving "Western values" that applies to defend it. Sincethen Russia denounced as fascist country , bringing a sober examination of the facts is impossible. In the EU and in Germany, this trend can also be observed. So the EU leaders and Angela Merkel advertise tirelessly for the FTA TTIP which is praised as the pure blessing, to be mandatorily completed in the interests of European workers.

But now one has study at Princeton University studied, really act American politicians in whose interests. The conclusion of the study author Martin Gilens, who carried out the study in collaboration with Benjamin I. Page of Northwestern University, is sobering:

"The main finding of our research is that the economic elites and organized groups, the economic interests represented, have a substantial influence on the independent policy of the US government. Groups that represent the interests of the mass of Americans and single, average citizens have against little or no impact on policy. "

The researchers have analyzed for this purpose surveys and found that it is possible to nothing find themselves in a concrete political implementation of the results of these surveys. A total contrast the surveys among elites: their desires make it into an amazing continuity, affecting the concrete policies of governments at the end.

The study refutes commercial investigations that result still unanimously, that the government is doing what the majority wants. But Gilens comes to a different conclusion:

"In the United States, the majority does not rule, at least not in the sense that there is a causal link between the wishes of the people and the law. Once a majority disagrees with the economic elites or organized groups, the majority loses . Although in the US the majority principle is incorporated in the Constitution, we note that even if quite large majorities want a particular policy, they do not get it ".

This leads to an erosion of democracy:

"Our analysis shows that the majority of Americans actually exerts little influence on politics, which is operated by the government.Of course, the Americans enjoy the right to vote, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. But we think: If the legislation of powerful economic organizations and a small group is dominated by influential Americans, then the assertion of America, to be a democratic society, seriously compromised ".

It speaks at least for the United States as a free country that comes an elite university in their own country to this disturbing judgment. And actually grows just among American elites of the resistance to high-handed policy of the government that presumes to act in the world as a moral force for order, but acts against the citizens in their own country. The problem that Colin Crouch in his readable book for post-democracy has described has, in fact worsened.

In the political debate in Europe, the findings of the study are important in several ways: On the one hand has to the European public, as it is about from independent media and to own thought processes capable politicians, be very careful in agreements with the United States. This is currently for TTIP which the US government speaks from the point, not for their constituents, but for selected lobbies, really is unacceptable. The skepticism also applies to the blind obedience of the EU leaders in matters of foreign policy: At the latest at the Russia-sanctions shows that the interests of European workers as well as those of the European business community ignored are.

The current refugee situation reflects the problem again: Syria and Libya, where currently most of the refugees come, have been destabilized by the Americans. Here were used the results of the study, not to represent the interests of the American people, but those of a, as the authors call "biased pluralism" - so influential interests. The EU is today because of this policy before the moral shambles: Thousands of people die in their flight, and no one in European politics is man enough to say that actual people are helped must - completely independent of a possible "encouragement" for other refugees. This simple human principle has been abandoned in a massive system failure. The consequence is that politics in Europe - once grown on humanitarian ideals and egalitarian beliefs - a degenerating apparatus of economic benefit maximization small but influential groups .

The greatest danger for Europe is in a further adaptation of the European democratic system to the denuded of the study American reality: Even in the EU is dominated by lobby groups. The battle cry of euphoric after the "United States of Europe" needs therefore exposed as a dangerous threat to. This applies both to the national states as well as for the EU organizations. The fiasco of Greece shows that even in intra-European conflict the interests of influential groups such as the IMF, the ECB, the banks and the political work-assurance associations take precedence over what voters decide.

The task of the democratic principle has already led to social devastation in the US - are just as confirm all those who saw America as long promised land in terms of freedom and equality.

European self-destruction, as we see in the Greek example, cause the incapacitating Americanization on the old continent for the disease is. To prevent this development is probably only when the citizens of Europe that will take advantage of remaining liberties excessively and stop a sleepwalking political and economic elite , before the model Europe has finally become a case for the historical museums.