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But plenty of people say that equally free access to capital is exactly what democracy is.
The crux is that equally free access to capital is impossible. Subsequently property / capital should not influence the chances for social mobility e.g. access to higher education.
In Great Britain, at the beginning of this year, the British government raised tuition prices in a way that students would pay back the state as part of their income that was taxed. There were protests there against that, saying that the price of the school would deter potential students from going. This system seems similar to the German one. Do you think deterrence is at stake here as well?
There is no system of tuition fees in Germany. There is, however, a system of state subsidies/loans for students from low-income socioeconomic backgrounds. The law governing the payment of this is the Federal Law on the Promotion of (Ausbildung) Higher Education (Bundesausbildungsföderungsgesetz, or BAFöG, as it is usually called). Whether a student is eligible for the subsidy depends on the income of the parents. Half of the amount is given as a grant, half as an interest-free loan, to be paid back after graduating. A certain percentage of the best students do get a reduction on the repayment. Recently, most of the party-aligned think tanks (which are political foundations) have worked out different systems for tuition fees. The Böll-Foundation (linked to the German Greens) proposal has been widely discussed. This concept is quite similar to the British one.
A very basic question: why should higher education be free to students?
To enable a democratic system of education where no one is deterred from studying.
What tactics are you employing to fight this policy?
Events to demonstrate that we have some capacity to activate voters. And negotiations with our strategic partner.
What are you trying to accomplish in this protest?
We want to demonstrate that political action and protest can bring very concrete outcomes if you know the rules of the game and if you are pragmatic.
How does this policy change reflect changes in the German government’s concerns and economic strategies?
The official policy of the German government is in favor of a third-way policy quite similar to that in Great Britain. Background for this policy shift is twofold:
- In Germany, no party is elected to government if it isn’t perceived as being competent in economic policy.
- In 1990, the income levels in eastern and western Germany widely differed. The adjustment of income, etc. in eastern Germany was financed by changes in the social systems.
How do you think Germany should function to become more economically viable, competitive, and maintain social care?
It should invest in a democratic and public system of education.
Really, is that the most important thing?
Yes. Only education will make society more democratic and a more democratic education will produce a more democratic society.
Have you been involved in previous, similar demonstrations?
Everyone who has studied at a German university has been confronted with demonstrations and some other form of protest against bad study conditions.
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