In the interview, Louis Klein reflects on the current state of developed democracies. Their improvement is not on the agenda. Yet, this is what developed democracies should aspire. According to him, the initial point should be their present state. From there on, things can be improved step by step. The idea is not to go for a distant best-practice but rather for a down-to-earth next practice.

There are two options for improving a system. You either start with professionalising the individuals or you set out to improve the system by sharpening procedures and processes. The latter one is his preferred choice so as to achieve an outcome, which is sustainable and superior at the same time. With smart processes at hand the performance is independent of the individuals’ quality.
To him, excellence is a state which you can strive for but you will never reach. You can either go for cold change (Ying) or hot change (Yang). The former refers to continuous improvement; the latter means doing things in a completely different way. Striving for excellence requires both forms.