The reshaping of globalisation was the focus of the Helmut Schmidt Lecture in Berlin on Monday evening. Together with more than 200 guests, the President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), Professor Dr Moritz Schularick, and the team from the Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung (BKHS) spoke about their understanding and shaping of global trade relations. Schularick sees a great opportunity in the fact that Germany is currently in a poor economic position in many sectors and can therefore only get better. Together with our BKHS Programme Director for "Global Markets and Social Justice" Dr Elisabeth Winter and Yunnan Chen, researcher at ODI London, Schularick discussed various approaches to reshaping globalisation. Winter emphasised that globalisation is more than just trade between countries and that, above all, it should not be an end in itself. Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the third issue of the BKHS Magazine, also on the topic of "Remaking Globalisation!" with contributions from many renowned experts.
Peer Steinbrück, Chairman of the BKHS Board of Trustees, opened the Helmut Schmidt Lecture 2023 at the Berlin Museum of Communication and emphasised that we are currently experiencing a development towards a multipolar world order. "This is accompanied by new requirements and challenges, but also opportunities. Economic globalisation has created winners and losers. While global trade has increased dramatically, the share of economic growth has not been evenly distributed. On the contrary: social inequality is increasing in most countries around the world. And this also applies to economic nationalism."
"We need crisis management like Helmut Schmidt's." Moritz Schularick draws parallels with Helmut Schmidt in the Helmut Schmidt Lecture. According to Schularick, the pragmatism and quick-witted approach to problems that the former chancellor was known for is also needed today. It is precisely here that he sees Berlin lagging behind cities such as London, Paris or Washington. Germany has numerous rules for crisis prevention, but does not have the crisis management to deal with the problems effectively if a crisis actually occurs. For Moritz Schularick, it is important to build up an intellectual infrastructure in Berlin, with think tanks, media, research and science, so that we can better anticipate what will happen worldwide in the future.
"We need to support Ukraine more in Germany." For Moritz Schularick, it is clear that we as European partner states should not allow ourselves to be surprised by Donald Trump, but should instead invest more in defence equipment ourselves. In order to counter Russia decisively, it is important to become more independent - also in defence matters.
During the discussion on reshaping globalisation, BKHS expert Elisabeth Winter emphasised the importance of honesty when it comes to strategic cooperation. It is not fundamentally reprehensible to pursue one's own strategic economic interests. However, it is important to be open and transparent about this so that a path can be found that is beneficial for all parties involved. International trade and economic growth should not become an end in itself. Instead of national economic indicators, the focus should be on people when we redesign globalisation according to economic, environmental and socio-political aspects.
In addition to the presentation by Moritz Schularick and the discussion between Elisabeth Winter and Yunnan Chen, the event also focussed on the launch of the third BKHS Magazine. In the magazine, published by the three BKHS programme directors Dr Elisabeth Winter, Dr Julia Strasheim and Dr Eva Krick, authors from politics, science and culture share both concrete policy recommendations and food for thought for the globalisation of tomorrow. They use a variety of formats, ranging from essays and interviews to pictures and poems. The BKHS Magazine is available to download free of charge from the website