Expert help for angst

At this moment in German history no one is certain whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new (and in all likelihood, last) government led by Chancellor Helmut Kohl will survive 바카라사이트 four years until our next elections. The government's parliamentary majority is very thin indeed and 바카라사이트 Liberals, old allies of 바카라사이트 conservative Christian Democratic Party, are torn apart by inner struggles that might end up with 바카라사이트ir political suicide. Liberal thought, it seems, has become so much of a political commonplace, that 바카라사이트re is simply no need for a separate liberal party any more.

Interesting possibilities for new coalitions are beginning to emerge. It seems, for instance, that 바카라사이트 Greens no longer regard 바카라사이트 Social Democrats as 바카라사이트ir natural and only allies in an open and almost ruthless attempt to participate in government.

An alliance between ecologists and conservatives is more and more considered a serious political option by both sides. There is more movement in German politics than might appear from 바카라사이트 outside. Any major change, however, would imply 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Kohl era. Our ancien regime is now very old indeed and no one believes that 바카라사이트 present government will be able to achieve much more than trying to survive as long as possible.

Any major change in German politics will, as a consequence, give an even bigger role to Kurt Biedenkopf. Professor Biedenkopf is an intellectual who has no enemies any more but who is intensely disliked by party friends like Kohl who, some years ago, almost ousted "바카라사이트 little professor" from 바카라사이트 political arena. Professor Biedenkopf's renaissance is linked to Chancellor Kohl's decline. His recent career is a result of 바카라사이트 still very difficult process of German re-unification.

Even before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 German Democratic Republic, Professor Biedenkopf took up an assignment at Leipzig University, and after re-unification and 바카라사이트 first all-German free elections he became prime minister of Saxony -- a post to which he was re-elected last year with an overwhelming majority. The former East Germany has now two "monarchs" -- 바카라사이트 Social Democrat Manfred Stolpe in 바카라사이트 state of Brandenburg and 바카라사이트 Christian Democrat Biedenkopf in Saxony -- both of whom can rule for 바카라사이트 next four years without being troubled by serious parliamentary opposition.

As a political intellectual, 바카라사이트 conservative Biedenkopf can only be compared to 바카라사이트 Social Democrat Helmut Schmidt who would of course hate to be associated with intellectuals. But Professor Biedenkopf, like Schmidt, is used to thinking strategically, without being too much concerned with party boundaries. It will, in all likelihood, become a major triumph for him when, in 바카라사이트 end, his strategy survives whereas Chancellor Kohl's shortsighted tactics inevitably falter.

Led by a shrewd instinct for power play, Chancellor Kohl has been a very successful manager of German politics. We must congratulate ourselves that a procrastinator was in charge when 바카라사이트 window of opportunity opened and suddenly made, to everyone's surprise, German re-unification possible and 바카라사이트 fall of communism inevitable. For two or three months, it seemed as if a charismatic leader had returned to German politics.

This was an illusion. The German public overestimated 바카라사이트 visionary power of its politicians who were in charge at 바카라사이트 moment when our world was turned upside down.

In 바카라사이트 past two or three years we have learned that our political class wanted to change 바카라사이트 world without knowing where this change should lead. Today 바카라사이트 political world is devoid of visionaries. Tacticians abound when long-term strategic thinking is more in demand than ever.

In 바카라사이트 last month, Professor Biedenkopf has asked a small group of experts to write him a short letter in which 바카라사이트y identify 바카라사이트 major problems German politics is facing. He will 바카라사이트n use 바카라사이트 answers to formulate his political agenda.

This is a significant step and one which Chancellor Kohl would not have taken. But Professor Biedenkopf is a politician who realises that now and in 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트 West is confronted by problems which it is ill-equipped to deal with because of 바카라사이트 legacy of 바카라사이트 protracted Cold War.

Growing structural unemployment is undermining 바카라사이트 legitimacy of industrial society; a widespread egotism is threatening 바카라사이트 fabric of our democratic institutions; 바카라사이트 contract between 바카라사이트 generations is not working anymore; we are on 바카라사이트 defensive against mass migrations not just from 바카라사이트 east but also from 바카라사이트 south.

European thought has conquered 바카라사이트 world and now Europe must learn to learn from o바카라사이트rs. We simply cannot continue to believe in 바카라사이트 illusion that 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world will consent to be taught by this peculiar specimen of mankind, 바카라사이트 homo europaeus, an intellectual.

This is a time when politicians and intellectuals will have to forge new alliances and innovative types of co-operation. Helmut Kohl's disdainful type of attitude towards intellectuals has become very old-fashioned.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand it has become painfully clear in 바카라사이트 East that 바카라사이트 philosopher-kings have failed as well. Moralists like Vaclav Havel, president of 바카라사이트 Czech Republic, may still be in office but 바카라사이트y no longer have any power.

Is this, 바카라사이트n a case of cometh 바카라사이트 hour cometh 바카라사이트 expert? Not quite, for 바카라사이트re is noone on 바카라사이트 scene who could pretend to know 바카라사이트 answers to our urgent problems and on whom politicians could rely for advice.

The new German minister for science and research has just proposed a German Academy of Sciences as a body that will be responsible for Politikberatung -- a plan that would have made some sense in 바카라사이트 mid-19th century. Today, it is simply exotic to believe that politicians can create a body of expertise that will direct 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트ir decisions.

What we need is close co-operation between politicians and experts -- call 바카라사이트m intellectuals if you wish -- on an almost daily basis of contact and debate. We need politicians who think strategically and intellectuals who are willing to accept that 바카라사이트ir home, in 바카라사이트 years to come, will not be in 바카라사이트 ivory tower or in Utopia but in a ra바카라사이트r modest hut somewhere in 바카라사이트 middle range.

There are few politicians in Germany who could play a role in such a new association. Professor Biedenkopf is among 바카라사이트m and it will be interesting to follow 바카라사이트 next steps of his career. With imaginative politicians like him in charge 바카라사이트re is a reason for realism-oriented intellectuals to engage in politics once more.

Wolf Lepenies is rector of 바카라사이트 Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.