One Fifth of Germans Call for Revolution, a Third Reject Capitalism
By Felicity Capon | Newsweek
The report, entitled ‘Against state and capital – for the revolution’ found among other trends that a staggering 62% of Germans quizzed by researchers believe they live in an imperfect democracy where the economy has more power than the electorate, and a third believe that capitalism leads to poverty and hunger.
The 650-page report revealed that 48% are concerned that a deep-rooted xenophobia exists in modern day Germany, a feeling possibly based on the rise of the anti-immigration organisation Pegida, which has gained worldwide coverage in the past few months. Marches by the movement, whose name stands for Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, have taken place in several major German cities, although many were dwarfed by counter-protests. Despite this, around 20% of respondents fear that a new form of fascism will rise in Germany.
Overall, the researchers noted a growing suspicion of central government and of the mainstream media, as well as an openness to conspiracy theories.
“Political danger is looming at the fringes,” the authors of the report warn, “not least through old resentments and new irrationalism that has declared war on reason.”