[Review] Albrecht Müller - Believe little, Question everything, Think for yourself - A Criticism 2020-08-01
Albrecht Müller (SPD) was born in Heidelberg in 1938, he is a graduate in economics, author, publicist and still a member of the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands/Social Democratic Party of Germany).
In 1972 Müller (SPD) led the election campaign for Chancellor Willy Brandt (SPD) who was in office from 1969 to 1974.
From 1972, Müller (SPD) headed the planning department under Willy Brandt (SPD) and Helmut Schmidt (SPD).
Between 1987 and 1994 Müller (SPD) was also a member of the German Bundestag.
[1]
[2]
Democracy is often used synonymously with self-determination. In fact the intersection depends on the degree of manufacturing of consent and the external influence on the public debate. As a result political decisions are made under the influence of individual interest groups. And Müller (SPD) has made it his goal to uncover the manufacturing of consent he diagnosed through the media, politicians and political parties. For this Müller (SPD) wrote this and other books and has co-initiated the NachDenkSeiten blog and writes there regularly. [1] [2]
The NachDenkSeiten and Müller (SPD) are not perfect and sometimes they make mistakes. In their work however both list detailed explanations and references. And in particularly good cases a completely neutral analysis is delivered.
Indeed there has been a shift in politics and published opinion by the press. Here there was an increased focus on identity politics and too little on the social question. There is also a certain cross-party overbidding competition. Under the guise of cosmopolitanism more immigration is be implemented, thereby increasing competition on the labor and housing markets. Under the guise of environmental protection driving bans and a carbon tax are being implemented thereby increasing the pressure on the lower and middle income classes. This is then no longer a social policy but only a reinterpretation of what the left once started against.
This is supported by the fact that according to a study from 2010 on the views and voting behavior of journalists in Germany a quarter of journalists choose the party the Greens. And almost half of the journalists choose the left-wing and Green parties. The conservative CDU/CSU and the market-liberal FDP account for only 9 and 7.4 percent respectively. Left and Greens are thus over-represented while other parties are dramatically underrepresented. [4, p.18] However the poor and workers are left behind. The proportion of those at risk of poverty in Germany rose from 12.7% in 2007 to 20.5% in 2016. [2] The proportion of people affected by poverty in Germany despite being employed has also increased since the introduction of the Euro and low-wage policies. According to the EVS (Einkommens- und Verbrauchsstichprobe/Income and Expenditure Survey) and the SOEP (Sozio-ökonomisches Panel/Socio-Economic Panel) the proportion of people affected by poverty despite gainful employment in Germany rose from around 5% in 1995 to 10% in 2015. [5] [5 , A03]
However Müller (SPD) also explains counter-evidence for the description of the prevailing economic situation with the term neoliberalism. After the banking crisis since 2007 several banks were supported by the state with several billion Euros instead of relying on the actual or supposedly invisible hand of the market. It was largely tolerated by the media when the state invested several billion Euros in banks. And even since the banking crisis in 2007 state run investments in infrastructure or economic stimulus programs have been tolerated little or not at all by the media. [1, p.75-78] [1, p.100-104]
This reinterpretation is in stark contradiction to the fact that there is a public opinion against government spending. Rather the double standards by which government intervention in the economy is assessed are becoming more visible. The terms corporatocracy that is the rule of corporations or kleptocracy that is, the rule of looters are more suitable for the prevailing economic conditions.
[1] Albrecht Müller - Believe little, question everyone, think for yourself - How to see through manipulations - ISBN 978-3864892189
[2] NachDenkSeiten
https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/
[3] "To speak of a lying press is wrong and dangerous" 2015-10-30
https://www.aachener-nachrichten.de/politik/von-einer-luegenpresse-zu-sprechen-ist-falsch-und-gefaehrlich_aid-31221609
[4] POLITICAL JOURNALISTS 2010-05
https://www.dfjv.de/documents/10180/178294/DFJV_Studie_Politikjournalistinnen_und_Journalisten.pdf
[5] Poverty and Wealth Report
https://www.armuts-und-reichtumsbericht.de/DE/Startseite/start.html
Democracy is often used synonymously with self-determination. In fact the intersection depends on the degree of manufacturing of consent and the external influence on the public debate. As a result political decisions are made under the influence of individual interest groups. And Müller (SPD) has made it his goal to uncover the manufacturing of consent he diagnosed through the media, politicians and political parties. For this Müller (SPD) wrote this and other books and has co-initiated the NachDenkSeiten blog and writes there regularly. [1] [2]
Manufactoring Consent
Wolfgang Lieb (SPD) is a co-founder of the Blog NachDenkSeiten where Müller (SPD) also regularly publishes articles. Lieb (SPD) however accuses the NachDenkSeiten and Müller (SPD) of manufacturing consent as well like they criticizes others to do but with opposite signs. According to Lieb (SPD) the NachDenkSeiten and Müller (SPD) fail. [3]The NachDenkSeiten and Müller (SPD) are not perfect and sometimes they make mistakes. In their work however both list detailed explanations and references. And in particularly good cases a completely neutral analysis is delivered.
The cross-party shift to the left - in the social policy
Whether there has been a cross-party shift to the left in recent years is highly controversial. Müller (SPD) argues that this is not the case. For this thesis speaks that demands from the left-wing spectrum such as for more immigration, driving bans, a CO2 tax or a more liberal social policy either already arrived in the public debate or have already been implemented. Arguably the strongest argument against this thesis is that the designated theme of the left spectrum has moved into the background. [1, p.120-123]Indeed there has been a shift in politics and published opinion by the press. Here there was an increased focus on identity politics and too little on the social question. There is also a certain cross-party overbidding competition. Under the guise of cosmopolitanism more immigration is be implemented, thereby increasing competition on the labor and housing markets. Under the guise of environmental protection driving bans and a carbon tax are being implemented thereby increasing the pressure on the lower and middle income classes. This is then no longer a social policy but only a reinterpretation of what the left once started against.
This is supported by the fact that according to a study from 2010 on the views and voting behavior of journalists in Germany a quarter of journalists choose the party the Greens. And almost half of the journalists choose the left-wing and Green parties. The conservative CDU/CSU and the market-liberal FDP account for only 9 and 7.4 percent respectively. Left and Greens are thus over-represented while other parties are dramatically underrepresented. [4, p.18] However the poor and workers are left behind. The proportion of those at risk of poverty in Germany rose from 12.7% in 2007 to 20.5% in 2016. [2] The proportion of people affected by poverty in Germany despite being employed has also increased since the introduction of the Euro and low-wage policies. According to the EVS (Einkommens- und Verbrauchsstichprobe/Income and Expenditure Survey) and the SOEP (Sozio-ökonomisches Panel/Socio-Economic Panel) the proportion of people affected by poverty despite gainful employment in Germany rose from around 5% in 1995 to 10% in 2015. [5] [5 , A03]
Neoliberalism
Müller (SPD) also uses the term Neoliberalism to describe the prevailing economic conditions. The term neoliberalism stands for a new economic liberalism. This means that the state is increasingly withdrawing from the economy and leaves the state's previous tasks for private actors.However Müller (SPD) also explains counter-evidence for the description of the prevailing economic situation with the term neoliberalism. After the banking crisis since 2007 several banks were supported by the state with several billion Euros instead of relying on the actual or supposedly invisible hand of the market. It was largely tolerated by the media when the state invested several billion Euros in banks. And even since the banking crisis in 2007 state run investments in infrastructure or economic stimulus programs have been tolerated little or not at all by the media. [1, p.75-78] [1, p.100-104]
This reinterpretation is in stark contradiction to the fact that there is a public opinion against government spending. Rather the double standards by which government intervention in the economy is assessed are becoming more visible. The terms corporatocracy that is the rule of corporations or kleptocracy that is, the rule of looters are more suitable for the prevailing economic conditions.
[1] Albrecht Müller - Believe little, question everyone, think for yourself - How to see through manipulations - ISBN 978-3864892189
[2] NachDenkSeiten
https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/
[3] "To speak of a lying press is wrong and dangerous" 2015-10-30
https://www.aachener-nachrichten.de/politik/von-einer-luegenpresse-zu-sprechen-ist-falsch-und-gefaehrlich_aid-31221609
[4] POLITICAL JOURNALISTS 2010-05
https://www.dfjv.de/documents/10180/178294/DFJV_Studie_Politikjournalistinnen_und_Journalisten.pdf
[5] Poverty and Wealth Report
https://www.armuts-und-reichtumsbericht.de/DE/Startseite/start.html
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