Germany 19452007 I: The Bonn Republic 4989

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Germany 1945-2007I The Bonn Republic (49-89)
Lecture 11
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Introduction

• The late nation
• Cultural heterogeneity, but one language
• Ruled by regional princes before 1871
• Weak liberal-national movement
• Nation-building from above
• Strong Federalist system as reaction to WWII
• Questions of identity prevail

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Political breaks

• 10 different Germanys since 1800 a history of
  breaks and the normality of discontinuity
• 800-1806 Holy Roman Empire of German Nation
• 1806-1815 Rhine Confederation
• 1815-1867 German Confederation
• 1867-1871 Northern German Confederation
• 1871-1918 Constitutional Monarchy (Bismarck
  Reich)
• 1918-1933 Weimar Republic
• 1933-1945 Totalitarian Dictatorship (Third
  Reich)
• 1945-1990 West Germany liberal-democratic
  republic (FRG)
• 1945-1990 Eastern Germany socialist
  dictatorship (GDR)
• 1990- Unified liberal democratic republic
  (Germany)

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1945-1949

• Hour zero 1945 defeat or liberalization?
• Allied control and allied interests (see 1918)
• One country, two systems
• Federal restructuring in East and West (Länder
  formed German state, Länder elections since 1946)
• Provisional Basic Law in May 1949 ? FRG
• GDR established in October 1949

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(No Transcript)
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GDR The other Germany 1945-1990

• 1/2 of West German size, 1/4 of population
• Foundation of a separate anti-fascist state
  (state idea)
• 1949 opposition suppressed (like 1933
  oligarchy)
• One party system (Socialist Unity Party)
• Borders closed 1961 (Berlin Wall) last man shot
  at border in 1989
• Federalism abolished 52 (like 1933 coordination)
• Use of symbols similar to Nazi Germany (uniforms,
  party youth )

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GDR The other Germany 1945-1990

• Stasi (German KGB) created observer state (1987
  90.000 officials, 173.000 unofficial staff, i.e.
  1 per 50 GDR citizens)
• Weak economy planned economy created slow
  growth, low productivity and bad quality
• Social achievements job guarantee, cheap living,
  collectiveness, social security, health service,
  kindergarten, opportunities for women
• Niche society, double life

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• Germany at the centre of the Cold War
• Re-armament
• East German/West German armies joined NATO /
  Warsaw Pact in May 1955

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1949-1990
West-German post-war society

• re-education and democratisation
• the inability to mourn
• the phase of re-structuring
• the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle)
  generation and the 68er
• Re-made political culture from ca. 1970 on

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Is a parliament really necessary in Germany?
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When was Germany best off?
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1949-1990

• West-Germany and international security
• The question of rearmament
• WEU (1954)
• NATO (1955)
• No German nuclear weapons
• NATO dual-track decision (1979)
• Peace Movement of 1980s
• West-Germany and the European integration process
• ECSC, Rome Treaties
• Monetary Policy
• Single European Act

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West-Germany 1949 1990 a unifying federation

• Basic Law equality of living conditions
• Homogenous societal developments
• But Economic regional disparities between north
  and south
• Financial equalization
• A huge welfare programme
• Democratic stabilization

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The institutional setting

• Checks and balances
• Strongly federalised
• Political power highly dispersed
• President (highest post, only symbolic and formal
  role opposed to Weimar Republic)
• Cabinet (chancellor and ministers)
• Parliament (5 threshold -WR), weak under
  Adenauer, later stronger, supported by the people
  - trust)
• Bundesrat (Second Chamber)
• Constitutional Court

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The role of the chancellor and government

• Chancellor democracy esp. under Adenauer
  quasi-presidential system, later other
  interpretations of guideline principle
• Chancellor can be dismissed by the parliament by
  constructive vote of no confidence - opposition
  not only has to have the majority against the
  incumbent but also a majority in favour of a new
  candidate (WR) 1972 failed, 1982 succeeded.

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Cabinet

• Each minister is appointed and dismissed by
  Chancellor, not the parliament (vs WR)
• Contradictions (in the constitution)
• Ministers autonomous and responsible
• But chancellor sets general guidelines of policy
• Collective rights duties of cabinet
• Actual balance of power depends on coalition,
  personality, resources etc.
• Most important ministries foreign office,
  finance (special veto), defence, interior,
  economic, justice high vs. low politics)

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Länder and the Bundesrat

• Role of Länder restored (vs. WR)
• BR no majority for senate model
• Consists of Land governments, rather unique among
  2nd chambers in the world
• Involved in every piece of federal legislation
• Temporary veto (Einspruchsgesetze)
• Absolute veto (Zustimmungsgesetze)
• Expected to have absolute veto power on 10 of
  legislation, in fact today 60
• Different party allocation can lead to block
  between parliament and federal chamber

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Democracy vs Federalism
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The role of the Constitutional Court

• US Supreme Court as a blueprint
• Planned only as a judicial watchdog (WR)
• Became more prominent and political role
  throughout the years, when constitutional
  review (Normenkontrollverfahren or
  Verfassungsklage) became a political instrument
• Established itself as supreme source for
  interpreting the constitution and a de facto
  policy making institution

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The role of parties and elections

• Parties try to dominate the whole political
  system (Parteienstaat)
• (Proportional) Partisan control over
• Public broadcasters
• Top ranks of public administration
• All political offices
• Top ranks of judiciary
• PR system

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The role of parties and elections

• Two main cleavages (late 19th century)
• State vs. Catholic church ? secular vs. religious
  citizens
• Capital vs. Labour
• Rural vs. Urban areas of minor importance since
  1945/49
• Largely stable party system since mid-1950s (WR)
• Two central popular parties Christian and Social
  Democrats
• 2 main smaller parties Liberals and Green Party
  (since 1980-83)

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The role of parties and elections

• Former Communists PDS largely restricted to East
  Germany, now merged with SPD breakaway to form
  The Left
• Extreme Right DVU, NPD, REP on Land level some
  flash parties
• Before 1982 2 ½ - party system SPD CDU/CSU
  FDP then Green Party
• Coalitions SPD/CDU 1966-69, 2005-? SPD/FDP
  (1969-1982) CDU/FDP (1949-61), 1963-1966,
  1982-1998SPD/Greens 1998-2005
• Alternation driven by parties until 1998

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GERMAN ELECTIONS, 1987-1998, 2005
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Social Security

• Conservative Welfare State (Esping-Andersen)
• Level of benefits (unemployment, pensions) based
  on contributions (preservation of previous
  status), no capital stock
• Health insurance based on contributions but
  egalitarian and redistributive
• Corporatist roots (Still) large number of public
  (but not state-owned) insurances (17 for
  pensions, 230 for health in 2007 was 1,200 in
  1991)
• Still high level of benefits, but system based of
  full employment for (male) breadwinners and
  stable reproductive patterns

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Summary the FRG before unification

• Finally, liberal democracy with excellent
  protection of human rights
• Representative democracy, central role of parties
• Highly decentralised system, but strong elite and
  popular preferences for equal living conditions
• High degree of regulation, enormous number of
  veto players
• Stability or Stagnation?