To keep democracy alive and secure, we definitely need more political and historical education. However, a new, positive approach is needed if we want to reach young people.
History lessons are important, of course. But sometimes it takes more than a classroom approach to show young people the beauty of our system.
Christian Beutler / Keystone
We all know that democracies are never secure. The threat to them is always a topic of discussion, and rightly so. It is indeed worrying when we read in the NZZ, for example, that the most influential Republican think tank is proposing weakening the judiciary in the event of a possible future Donald Trump presidency. The advance of right-wing populists in many European countries is just as worrying; it calls liberal democracy into question.
As justified as the warnings about the end of democracy are, their effectiveness is questionable. It is undisputed that they should be taken seriously. It is undisputed that we must do everything we can to preserve democracy. A free, prosperous economy like the one we have in Switzerland is unthinkable without the rule of law and security. A school that cannot prepare for a democratic society is a soulless and worthless machine for generating skills. Without democracy, everything is pointless.
But warnings do little to help young people live democracy. Quite the opposite: they unsettle and weaken democracy because it appears unsuitable to take away their fears. It is perceived as weak, and weakness is unfortunately not a “selling argument». How can one explain the power of democratic societies when one only warns of their demise?
We need a positive approach, a different approach. We need to give young people the beauty of our political and economic institutions and achievements. This is already being done today, for example when it comes to raising awareness of the beauty of nature: A teacher walks with her class through the Greina plateau. At a stop, everyone lies on their backs and, with their eyes closed, observes what nature has to offer. The chance that these young people will later work to preserve their unique environment is greater than if the classroom is full of lamentations about the destruction of glaciers. Experiences generate feelings.
Something similar must happen in the area of our democracy. It is our job to show young people what is valuable, what is worth preserving and thus their strength. That they understand the institutions that have developed historically within the framework of a democratic society and their achievements, learn to appreciate their value and want to stand up for them, just as it says in Article 6 of our Federal Constitution: “Every person assumes responsibility for themselves and contributes to the tasks of the state and society according to their abilities.” Concrete experiences, vividly conveyed history and stories are the ways to do this. They generate feelings that last.
And there are certainly enough topics that come to mind, there are countless approaches, both small and large. Here are just a few examples: Visit public drinking fountains and find out how they were built in Switzerland over more than 100 years. Learn about the history and route network of the Federal Railways and understand the expertise and effort that lie behind our uniquely functioning public transport. Talk to representatives of guilds and unions and discover that productive economic activity and social peace are based on processes that have evolved and been fought for over a long period of time. Education is required here.
This experience and learning must obviously be supplemented by historical and political knowledge. Both take time. History and political science must therefore not be reduced any further in schools; on the contrary, more of them are needed, at all age levels.
Everything depends on the insight, conviction and commitment of society, business and education, as stated in the preamble to our Federal Constitution: “… in the awareness of our shared achievements and our responsibility towards future generations.” We not only owe it to young people, we have a legal duty to do it right. And we do not want to be part of a generation that has slept all its life and suddenly wakes up in a nightmare. We have decided to defend our democracy.
Sandra De Vito is a lawyer in Zurich specializing in commercial law. Rudolf Isler is a former professor at the Zurich University of Teacher Education. Both are committed to political education. Sandra De Vito is producing a film on the subject with Gerry Hofstetter, in which Rudolf Isler appears as an expert.
An article from the «»
