Summary / Resumé
In his commentary Klaus Arntz puts forward proposals for the future of volunteering. On the one hand, individuals should not be made accountable for the deficiencies of the public sector and politics. On the other hand, society and democracy depend on their citizens’ dedication to volunteering, subsidiary self-sufficiency and value-oriented action. Arntz suggests that it would be advisable to activate the currently unused volunteer resources by specific perks and advantages (tax exemption, free hours etc.) as well as improved conditions both at work and at home (more opportunities for short-term committments and self-fulfilment).