| Description |
Economic globalization is the figurative wave that lifts all boats, i.e., small as well as large economies if it is managed well, if negative side effects are addressed, and if its gains are broadly distributed. Globalization is not inevitable, despite technological progress, because it depends on political commitment to sustain global economic liberalization. In order to better understand the political willingness to support globalization it is vital to understand the generally overlooked role that political parties play in this context. This paper conducts a case study of Germany's political parties by looking at the messages parties communicate to voters during federal election campaigns. By examining the written election programs of the five major parties from 1990 to 2013, this study is able to demonstrate a general lack of political will in Germany to support and manage globalization. This conclusion must not necessarily hold for other countries. The specifics of this study are not suited to allow for broad generalizations, but the fact that the political elite in a country that has been exceptionally well integrated into the global economy and has profited immensely from open borders and the ability to export it goods is so pessimistic about globalization and is only able to muster the ability to pay lip service to the idea of shaping and building globalization, but fails at delivering truly meaningful policy proposals, makes it difficult to be hopeful that other states feature parties that behave differently from Germany's parties. |
