Social Democracy Beyond Europe: A New Momentum?

By the mid-1970s a group of social democratic politicians endeavored to overcome the eurocentric limitations of the Socialist International (SI). Under the chairmanship of Willy Brandt, the SI developed into a global movement. In Latin America, but also in some parts of Africa and Asia, party leaders were hoping to establish a competitive economy as well as an efficient welfare state like in many Western European states after 1945.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Socialist International has become irrelevant, and European Social Democracy has lost most of its former appeal. While China seems to demonstrate that a combination of authoritarianism and neo-liberalism might have become the most efficient model for the development of the productive forces, the newly elected President of the United States recently started to implement measures that clearly point into the direction of a social democratic policy. What is the future role of international Social Democracy in a changing world order?

Sheri Berman (New York) and Michael Zürn (Berlin), both political scientists, will discuss this topic on May 27. Their talk will be hosted by Hans Monath (Berlin), editor of the Tagesspiegel.