SCRIPTS Academic Coordinator of the Theory Network Johannes Gerschewski will join the Thomas Mann House in Los Angeles as a fellow in 2024. He works at the intersection of Comparative Politics and Political Theory. His latest book, "The Two Logics of Autocratic Rule", explores what conditions autocracies must fulfil to survive.

In his project together with Pola Lehmann (WZB), "The (Lost) Virtue of Compromise", they will explore the value of compromise in democratic societies. Under the 2024 topic "Democracy and Vulnerability", thirteen fellows will work on their project and be in exchange with US experts and the public. 

The (Lost) Virtue of Compromise - Short description

Have we lost sight of the virtue of compromise? Public debates about how to deal with the pandemic, how to respond to the Russian war in the Ukraine, how to organize migration, or how to cope with social inequality have become increasingly polarized, irreconcilable, and often fruitless. The ability to forge compromise on the most pressing societal questions has waned in the last years. We contend that this waning constitutes a major Achilles heel for democratic societies in Germany and the United States. Political preferences have become morally charged. They are increasingly viewed as “right” or “wrong” and not as legitimate expressions of political interests. Yet, forging political compromise in heterogenous societies is one of the major strengths of democracy. In this light, our project explores to what extent the widespread sentiment of the lost virtue of compromise can be corroborated by empirical evidence and what can be done to counter this tendency.