The Moral Constitution. Right-wing extremism and xenophobia in reunited Germany.
Most theories about right-wing extremism tend to focus upon either the perpetrators and their social background or, alternatively, the public debate on immigration policies. This article focus upon a third, relatively neglected dimension, the moral constitution of society or the presence of a civic ethos that can keep right-wing extremism under control. This control-theoretical approach is illustrated by a study on the differences between right-wing extremism and xenophobia in the old and new states in reunited Germany. The study suggests that the question of the national heritage and how it is coped with in a decisive manner influences the moral constitution and thus the conditions for creating a civic ethos, that is strong enough to contain right-wing extremism and xenophobia.
