German Lessons

Germany's domestic security service issued a warning last year about left-wing extremists in the increasingly popular political party called Die Linke (the Left). In an unpublished report the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (the BfV) justifies raids on the party's offices because the Left contains factions from the old East German communist party.

In case anyone is starting to wax nostalgic for the communists, let’s remember how they actually governed. They turned East Germany into a prison camp.

Among the collaborators were the non-communist political parties that held seats in the old East German parliament, all of them under the control of the communist government. With no autonomy or independent voice their role was certainly not to oppose the regime, but merely to serve as window dressing. Presenting the illusion of multiparty democracy would provide (or so the politburo must have believed) a veneer of legitimacy to what was, in reality, a one-party state.

We know what token, tame, toothless opposition looks like in Massachusetts. Ten out of the 19 Republican state representatives do not have to contend with a Democratic opponent this November. In other words, half the members of the pitifully small Republican caucus in the House owe their seats to Democratic forbearance. A high proportion of the few Republicans in the Senate are similarly obligated to the Democrats.

Nowadays Republican legislators are currying favor with the corner office by promoting Deval Patrick's casino plan and attacking his rival, House Speaker Sal DiMasi, by filing ethics complaints against him. When the Republicans talk you can almost see the Governor's lips moving.

Obviously life in Massachusetts is not like life in East Germany. We are free to criticize the ruling party without fear of a midnight visit from the secret police, free to join independent trade unions without risking imprisonment, and free to leave without having to evade watchtowers and minefields.

But when it comes to the Democrats' skill in co-opting the opposition, Eric Honecker would be impressed.