全球化雖未使民族主義沒落,但民族國家面臨日益強大的各種跨國勢力,其功能則確已式微。而約束資本主義的兩大制度-民主政治與社會福利(亦即平衡資本主義與社會正義的兩大前提),至今仍只能在民族國家的框架中施行。隨著民族國家在跨國經濟勢力衝擊下功能的式微,民主政治與社會福利的基礎也可能為經濟全球化所動搖。在新自由主義的全球主義看來,市場法則原本就應該是社會運作的唯一法則。反對此種「解政治化」趨勢的人士,則試圖一方面透過跨國合作,在全球範圍內重新約束資本主義;一方面透過國內改革,因應不可逆轉的全球化潮流。德國社會民主黨人亦瞭解面對不可逆轉的全球化,必須變革以為因應。德國對於跨國政治架構的建立頗為支持;但在執政的社民黨內部,則出現較接近新自由主義的「新中間」路線與較接近傳統社會民主觀點的社民黨左翼間的衝突。爭執的主要問題即在於:在經濟全球化的時代,社會正義應如何維持?
Globalization causes the decline of functions of nation-state-although the declining of state's function is not equal to the declining of nationalism. The premises of a balance between capitalism and social justice, democracy and social policy, are still carried out in the frame of nation-state so far. With the declension of the nation-state in relation to transnational economic power, the foundation of democracy politics and social welfare is shaken by the economic globalization. Neo-liberalism-globalism thus claims the law of market should be the only law of social operating. Those who are against this kind of ”depolitical” trends try to re-regulate capitalism on the global scale through transnational cooperation, and make the states to response the no returning globalization trends through intra-national reform. Germany has a great interest in the establishment of transnational politics; but within the German socialdemocrats (SPD) there are conflicts between ”The New Middle”, which is close to neo-liberalism, and the left wing of the SPD, which is close to traditional socialdemocracy. The point of issue: how could the social justice be assured under trends of globalization?