When Christian Lindner, leader of Germany’s liberal FDP party, declares that "the era of morality in foreign policy is over," I cannot help but take it personally. Not just as a writer, but as someone who believes that history is more than a sequence of events—it is a collection of lessons. And if history has taught us anything, it is that whenever morality is cast aside, the price we pay is always higher than expected.
Mark Twain famously said, "History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes." Those rhymes still echo today—if we choose to listen. But the real question is whether politicians hear them or if they are doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again.
Historical Parallels: The Trap of Pragmatism
History offers not just examples but warnings. In 1938, when Western leaders sought to "buy peace" through the Munich Agreement, they were merely buying time while Hitler grew stronger. It did not prevent war—on the contrary, it made war inevitable.
During the Cold War, the West propped up dictators simply because they opposed the Soviet Union. The result? Destabilization, conflicts, and a legacy that still haunts us today. Pragmatism may have seemed like the logical approach, but it often came at the cost of long-term stability.
And now, we arrive at the present: Ukraine.
Ukraine: The Shadow of History Looms Large
In 2014, Russia seized Crimea. The world responded with sanctions, but the West, in its pragmatic wisdom, prioritized maintaining cooperation rather than deterring further aggression. The result? Eight years later, Russia returned—not with hybrid warfare or annexation, but with a full-scale invasion.
This war was not inevitable—unless we accept as inevitable the naivety with which the West once again pretended that dictators could be "handled." Politics is not just cold calculations; it is a series of human decisions, each carrying weight and moral responsibility. And if we ignore that responsibility, history will prove, time and again, that pragmatism without morality ultimately turns against itself.
Politicians and Their Failure to Learn
It is often said that politicians are elected by the people, yet they never seem to learn from the past. This is no accident. Politics is the art of maintaining power, and power operates on a short-term logic. But history is not about immediate victories—it is about consequences that stretch across decades. And those who can only see as far as the next election have no place among history’s architects—only among its casualties.
Where Do We Draw the Line?
The line must be drawn where human suffering is no longer dismissed as "collateral damage" but deliberately factored into political strategy. Where "pragmatism" becomes cowardice. Where short-term interests override what is right and just.
Because morality is not some abstract, idealistic luxury. Morality is the backbone of civilization. And when we abandon it, we should not be surprised when all that remains are the recurring tragedies of history.
Christian Lindner is wrong. Morality has not disappeared from politics—only those who find it inconvenient try to push it aside. History is not just a teacher; it is a mirror. And if we do not like what we see in its reflection, perhaps it is not the mirror we should break, but our own flawed choices.