In 2005, people grew closer together.
The willingness to help is increasing on a broad scale.

Helpfulness and social cohesion have historically been underdeveloped in Germany. However, in economically challenging times, Germans are rediscovering the importance of helping others. They are experiencing mutual dependence and learning to appreciate being needed. They want to help each other more and not simply leave all social problems to the state or politicians. For the new year 2005, every second citizen (491,000) has "firmly resolved" to help their neighbors. And a quarter of the population (271,000) intends to increase their volunteer work in the social sector compared to the previous year (101,000). This is according to representative surveys in which 1,000 people aged 14 and over across Germany were asked which acts of social assistance they "provided in 2004" and which they "definitely intend to provide in the new year 2005.".

More and more Germans want to live by the principle: help yourself before the state helps you. A comparison of the surveys from 2004 and 2005 reveals a shift in attitudes. People are once again more interested in a better society and want to contribute to creating one. In both surveys, the circle of friends takes on almost the significance of a second family: "Helping friends" (2004: 581T3T – 2005: 631T3T) tops the list of activities related to helping others. In the coming year, singles and childless couples in particular intend to cultivate and strengthen friendships and offer their friends more support and advice (731T3T each). For singles and childless people, friends are like social convoys that reliably accompany them through life. Even without their own families, friends help maintain their quality of life well into old age.

New Year's resolutions for 2005: To take more responsibility for others

Compared to the year 2004, which is drawing to a close, German citizens have made ambitious resolutions for the new year: They want to participate more actively in church and community organizations (+8 percentage points), take on more roles and responsibilities in clubs and associations (+12), and, above all, become more involved in social work (+17). Of course, there will also be a gap in 2005 between expressed willingness to help and actual behavior. But this is precisely the major challenge for social organizations and associations. Because every person who intends to help is potentially motivable and mobilizable. Everything now depends on creating opportunities to help or, at the very least, not discouraging those interested in volunteering.

Neighborhood assistance plays a central role on the path to a new self-help society. Almost half the population (45%) has already provided practical neighborly assistance this year – from simple house-sitting, including pet and plant care during vacations, to offering help with personal or family problems. Next year, one in two citizens (49%) intends to help their neighbors – slightly more in East Germany (52%) than in West Germany (49%), and more in rural areas (51%) than in large cities (46%). Women (55%) and the 50+ generation (56%) in particular value neighborly assistance as an effective form of everyday solidarity.

However, most German citizens largely agree on one point: they have little interest (8%) in participating in a political party or trade union. While they are highly motivated and approach social causes with seriousness and enthusiasm, in the political sphere they tend to fear being obligated, instrumentalized, or even co-opted. Furthermore, they have little hope of personal success or individual agency in this area.

Help for self-help: Help others so that you too can be helped.

The idea of "helping others so that you too can be helped" revives the concept of a self-help society from the 1970s – albeit under different circumstances. In the post-1968 era, a protest movement emerged that opposed state co-optation. Self-help was understood as a kind of alternative, self-initiated movement – ranging from shared apartments and self-organized youth centers to cooperative work collectives.

If the outlines of a new self-help society are currently emerging, this doesn't refer to an idyllic vision or an alternative movement. Quite the contrary: far removed from anything dogmatic or ideological, it's about a broad self-help movement without marginalization. The growing realization of our interdependence stems from the fear of social decline, of losing prosperity and jobs. A focus on necessity rather than prosperity compels self-help action because the welfare state is 'weakening'. What the state has relieved its citizens of in terms of responsibility over the last three decades, citizens must now gradually reclaim.