Which is stronger: selfishness or cooperation?

#413

Friend of Democracy,

Today, a few general thoughts on the situation in Europe.

It is often said these days that a new world order is in the making.

A world order with fewer and fewer nations working together for the better of all sides. And a world to come with a few large states calling the shots and asserting their interests against those of others. Less cooperation, more confrontation, so to speak.

That may be so.

To me, the interesting question is about the long term: which world order will prevail? That of cooperation or that of the ruthless pursuit of individual interests?

There is some scientific evidence that cooperation is superior to confrontation in human coexistence. Evolutionary theory once emphasised competition (”survival of the fittest”), but modern research shows that cooperation is a powerful evolutionary strategy.

Three short examples.

The Prisoner’s Dilemma demonstrates that while defection can win in the short term, mutual cooperation produces higher long-term payoffs.

In repeated interactions (iterated games), strategies like Tit for Tat (cooperate first, then reciprocate) perform best.

Political scientist Robert Axelrod showed in computer tournaments that cooperative strategies outperform purely aggressive ones when interactions are ongoing.

I will not go into further detail about the examples above. They are intended only to demonstrate that people who cooperate within groups often outcompete purely selfish groups.

Which brings me to the current situation in Europe.

Europe consists of many small and medium-sized states. Experience has taught them that cooperation is superior to conflict.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the power claims of China’s dictatorship, and the populism and extremism of Donald Trump have brought Europe even closer together.

For example, today, Europe is practically single-handedly shouldering the foreign financing of Ukraine’s defence following the almost complete withdrawal of the US. At the same time, it is expanding its own defence capabilities.

“We have to understand that in the era of big powers, our freedom is no longer a given. It is at stake. We will need to show firmness and determination to assert this freedom,”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week at the Munich Security Conference.

Nutshell: The new realities are not only sinking in among politicians and the general public in Europe, but strong and necessary reactions are also taking place and becoming visible. Democracies are sometimes a little slower in this regard. It could be fast enough.

See you in Democracy,

Johannes Eber