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I admit that when Angela Merkel’s autobiography was published (see review), I was sceptical at first. As someone who often criticises her policies and has never voted for her party, I had little interest in another political justification. What finally persuaded me to read it was pure curiosity: what are the thoughts of a woman who, as “the most powerful woman in the world“, has played a central role in almost every major crisis for 16 years? What insights would she offer into the processes and decisions that have shaped all our lives? But the deeper I got into the book, the more fascinating it became – for a completely unexpected reason.
Angela Merkel’s autobiography is much more than the memoirs of a former chancellor. It is a fascinating contemporary document that offers deep insights into a state of mind that has shaped Germany and its institutions over the past twenty years – and continues to do so today. It is a state of mind that is reaching its limits in the face of today’s global challenges.
The Perfect Manager
Reading her autobiography, what becomes increasingly clear is the mind of a perfect manager. With her scientific background, she analyses every situation precisely and methodically. Her ability to clearly identify criticisms of her decisions is remarkable – she knows exactly what her opponents are accusing her of and argues with razor-sharp precision why she chose, or was forced to choose, this path and no other.
Her whole approach is based on an almost unshakable belief in process and rules. It is no coincidence that ‘rules’ is one of the most frequently used words in her memoirs. For Merkel, they are the immovable foundation of every interaction, whether in national politics or international diplomacy. An agreement once signed must be honoured, regardless of whether it is still valid. Reliability is paramount.
The longer I read, the clearer it became to me: this is a mindset that goes far beyond Merkel. It is a mentality that runs like a red thread through the German leadership – from politics to corporate headquarters.
The Limits of the System
But this is where the fundamental weakness of this approach becomes apparent: it has no answer to a world in which other actors no longer play by the rules. When a Putin breaks international treaties or a Trump ignores established diplomatic processes, the belief in the power of rules and compromise fails. Merkel’s autobiography inadvertently reveals this limitation: although she analyses the actions of these actors closely, she fails to provide a strategic response or her own vision of the future to guide action.
This limitation becomes particularly clear when she describes her meeting with Greta Thunberg and Luisa Neubauer. As a long-standing advocate of climate protection – she was the first ‘climate chancellor’ and, as a young environment minister, organised the first COP conference in Bonn – she understands the scientific arguments of climate activists. She fully empathised with their criticisms. But she has only one answer: she has to organise majorities.
This scene reveals the blind spot in Merkel’s thinking: she lacks the ability or the will to think ahead. The question ‘What should Germany look like the day after tomorrow and what can I do today to ensure that I have a majority for this tomorrow’ does not appear in her thinking. Instead, the horizon of action is limited to what appears to have majority support in the here and now. It is an attitude of reaction, not of creation.
The Legacy lives on
The effects of this management mindset can still be felt today – far beyond the world of politics. We find it in the boardrooms of German corporations as well as in medium-sized companies and public institutions. It is a mindset that prioritises process optimisation and risk minimisation rather than boldly breaking new ground.
This is particularly evident in the current political discourse. A glance at the party platforms for the upcoming federal elections reveals an astonishing continuity of Merkel’s thinking: instead of developing visions for Germany’s future, the proposals are limited to small adjustments to the status quo. A little more money for certain groups here, stricter rules for others there – these are the answers from the past to the challenges of the futurepresent.
Even where the need for action is clear, reactive thinking still dominates. Whether it’s climate change, technological change or geopolitical shifts, the answers follow the familiar pattern of analysing problems, consulting interest groups and seeking compromises. What is missing is the courage to ask: How do we want to live? What kind of future do we want to actively shape?
A Change that Politicians refuse to acknowledge
The gap between political responses and social reality could hardly be greater. In companies, clubs and neighbourhoods, people are discussing the fundamental upheavals of our time: what if the current economic downturn is not just temporary, but marks the beginning of a structural crisis in the German economy? How can a society function in which many people are already reaching their financial limits?
The tectonic shifts in global thinking are even more profound: Trump’s re-election is not so much a singular event as an expression of a fundamental turning point – away from rules-based international cooperation towards a system that fundamentally challenges classic German strengths such as the ability to compromise and multilateralism. People sense that we are on the brink of a turning point, from the AI-driven transformation of the world of work to the rebalancing of global power. But while they are searching for fundamental answers, politicians don’t even seem to dare to ask the right questions.
Overrun by Vicious Visionaries
While German politics continues to focus on process optimisation and compromise, a new type of player is coming to the fore: visionaries like Elon Musk, whose actions are driven by radical visions of the future. Musk is convinced that humanity must ensure its survival through interplanetary expansion, and he consistently organises his life and businesses around this goal.
But Musk’s vision and rule-breaking raise fundamental questions. His uncompromising focus on a future that prioritises technological progress over democratic principles is deeply problematic. Musk deliberately ignores social norms and government regulations when they get in the way of his mission. This behaviour is not only undemocratic, but shows a dangerous disregard for the shared values that bind a pluralistic society together.
This is the weakness of the Merkel mindset and its legacy: a politics that relies primarily on reliability and majorities lacks the language and strategy to counter such approaches. Instead of using the disruptive challenges posed by actors like Musk as an opportunity to develop their own visions of the future, the reaction often stops at moral outrage.
But outrage alone is not enough. What is missing is not just a counter-narrative, but a democratic vision ambitious enough to meet disruptive challenges – an idea of how we want to live that is more than just managing the present.
A Question of Attitude
Reading Angela Merkel’s autobiography makes it all too clear that we need a new attitude towards the future. Instead of minimising risk and focusing on security, we must, paradoxically, take risks to preserve what is worth preserving. For in a rapidly changing world, inaction is the greatest risk of all.
Putin’s neo-imperial fantasies or Trump’s backward-looking visions cannot be contained by better management. They lack a counterpart: a powerful, democratic vision of tomorrow that inspires and mobilises people. A vision of a society that combines prosperity, sustainability and individual freedom.
The Merkel mindset has run its course – not because it was wrong, but because the world has changed fundamentally. At a time when the great questions of our existence are being renegotiated, it is no longer enough to optimise existing processes. Germany no longer needs perfect managers, but courageous architects. The question is no longer how best to manage the status quo, but what future we want to actively shape.
Addendum (7 January 2025)
On LinkedIn I was asked for my answer to ‘a powerful, democratic vision of tomorrow that inspires and mobilises people’.
This is my response:
The answer to this question is at the heart of my work and has preoccupied me for decades. For me, a powerful, democratic vision would have to combine several levels: social justice, ecological balance and technological progress that serves the common good. At the same time, I am convinced that such visions cannot be conceived in isolation – they must emerge from a broad social dialogue.
A democratic vision of tomorrow could be inspired by initiatives such as Doughnut Economics, which combines ecological and social boundaries, or citizens’ assemblies such as the Climate Council, which show how participatory democracy can open up new avenues.
I think there are two fundamental points here:
- Vivid images of the future rather than abstract visions.
We need more than abstract slogans. A vision is only powerful if it includes concrete images of the future that describe our everyday lives in detail. What would a typical day look like in a sustainable and just society? Only when we can vividly imagine that life will we have the energy to make it a reality. - Proactive thinking rather than reactive problem solving.
If we only look for answers or solutions, we remain trapped in the reactive. Instead, we need to start with ‘what if…’: What future do we want to actively shape? And what steps can we take today to make it happen?
These two approaches – vivid images of the future and proactive thinking – are the key to a vision that not only inspires but also mobilises.