Germany’s unlikely success story is an inspiration in dark times

Psychologists tell us that human beings are hard-wired with a “negativity bias” — meaning that we’re overly sensitive to bad news. And there is lots of it out there these days: the war in Ukraine, democratic travails in the United States, floods in Pakistan, drought in China (among other grim stories). But we often miss the good news, especially if it doesn’t come in the form of a single event. One of the most striking positive trends in the world these days can be found in the democratic strength, character and leadership of Germany.

This came to mind as I was reading German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s speech this week in Prague, in which he promised that his country would support Ukraine “reliably and for as long as it takes.” He explained that Germany had “undergone a fundamental change” on providing military aid to Ukraine. He affirmed Germany’s support for a stronger, more integrated Europe — one that would welcome new members that aspire to Europe’s democratic values and ideals. This is all part of what he calls a Zeitenwende in German foreign policy, a “turning of the times.”

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