C LICKER 2 POINTS Germany’s government is A.A Presidential system like the US B.A parliamentary system like Great Britain C.Still dominated by a royal

Comparative Politics: Domestic Responses to Global Challenges

Eighth Edition by Charles Hauss & Melissa Haussman

Germany

CLICKER 2 POINTS

Germany’s government is

A. A Presidential system like the US

B. A parliamentary system like Great Britain

C. Still dominated by a royal family

CLICKER POINTS

Shall we let Amanda borrow a clicker for the day?

A. Yes

B. No

CLICKER 2 POINTS

Germany’s government structure is

A. Unitary like Britain or Japan

B. Federal like the USA

C. A confederation like the United Nations

CLICKER 2 POINTS

Germany’s Chancellor is currently

A. Male

B. Female

THE FIRST OSSI –AND THE FIRST WOMAN

• Merkel, the first woman and the first person who grew up in the former East Germany, elected chancellor – Part of protest movements– Elected to Bundestag in first post-

reunification election – Christian Democratic Party/Socialist

Democratic Party grand coalition – Merkel won again with the support of the

FDP in 2009.

Knud Nielsen/Shutterstock.com

THINKING ABOUT GERMANY

• The Basics– The strongest country in Europe– Europe’s most populous country– One of world’s richest countries– Europe’s most extensive social-service

system– Unification—a unique challenge – Economy—less flexible than others– As socially diverse as France or Britain

THE EVOLUTION OF THE GERMAN STATE: THE GERMAN QUESTION

• Unification and the Kaiser’s Reich– Middle Ages unified state until the fall of the

Holy Roman Empire, then divided until 1871. – Prussia’s expansion led to first German

state.• Authoritarian• Napoleonic wars consolidated smaller states in

Western Germany.

• Unification and the Kaiser’s Reich (Cont’d)– Bismarck’s rule (1815–1898) brought all

German States other than Austria under Prussian control.• Historical religious disputes had left

Germany deeply divided. • Elections without democracy• State capitalism: Top-down modernization

of military and economy make Germany a global power.

• Centralization resulted in an alienated working class .


• Unification and the Kaiser’s Reich (Cont’d)– Germany pitted itself against the rest of

Europe. – Germany torn apart after WWI.

• Left opposed the war.• Nationalist groups blamed left and Jewish people

for Germany’s problems. • Kaiser forced into exile.• Monarchy hastily replaced with a republic.


TABLE 6.1 German Regimes since 1871

• Weimar and the Rise of Hitler– Weimar Constitution transformed Germany

from authoritarian to democratic overnight with authority in Reichstag.

– Proportional representation – Coup attempts from left and right– Reparations and depression– Right-leaning parties looked for scapegoats.


• Weimar and the Rise of Hitler (Cont’d)– During the depression support for the regime

began to ebb.– Nazis were successful in 1932 elections.

• The NSDAP had become the largest party.

• On Jan. 30, 1933, Hitler became chancellor and formed a government

• Hitler controlled a majority in the Reichstag.


• The Third Reich– Hitler began dismantling Weimar Republic

within weeks of taking office. • Trade unions and political parties were banned.

• Declared himself füehrer

• Universal military service

• Nuremberg Laws/Aryan superiority

• Use of propaganda


• The Third Reich (Cont’d)– In 1936, Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland

violating the Treaty of Versailles.• In 1938, Germany annexed Austria and

intervened in the Spanish civil war.• It claimed the Sudetenland in

Czechoslovakia.


• The Third Reich (Cont’d)– The Munich conference of 1938

• Appeasement — 1936–1939• German forces occupied Czechoslovakia in

March 1939.• Signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet

Union in August 1939• Invaded Poland in September 1939


• The Third Reich (Cont’d)– France and Britain declared war on

Germany in Sep. 3, 1939; World War II started.• German succeeded on battlefield for more than

two years.• In 1941, Germans attacked the Soviet Union.


• The Third Reich (Cont’d)– The Soviet Union and the United States

entered the war.• The Soviet army halted the German in Stalingrad

in the winter of 1942-43.• Allied troops invaded Sicily.• Allied planes launched an air assault on the

Germany.

– Allied D-day invasion of the beaches of Normandy in France .


• Occupation and the Two Germanys– Restructuring of political systems– Massive financial aid (especially in West)– Cold War motivated integration of

Western occupation zones.– Stalinist regime established in Eastern

zone.


TABLE 6.2 German Chancellors since 1948

• Occupation and the Two Germanys (Cont’d)– The allied powers drafted the Basic Law.

• On August 14, 1949, the fist postwar elections were held.

• The Christian Democratic Union (CDU )and its leader Konrad Adenauer won.

• CDU and FDP forged links with business, industrial, bureaucratic, and union elites, creating a period of economic growth.


• Building a Democratic Germany – For 14 years, Adenauer and the CDU’s

strong leadership built a strong economy.• Adenauer, similar to De Gaulle, stabilized new

regime. – Erhard was credited for economic miracle.

• In 1966, Erhard resigned and was replaced by another Christian Democrat, Kurt Georg Kiesinger.


• Building a Democratic Germany (Cont’d)– A grand coalition

• Law for Promoting Stability and Growth in the Economy

– A new coalition between the SPD and FDP• Under leadership of Willy Brandt and Helmut

Schmidt, the SPD enacted modest social reforms and opened up relations with the Communist world.


• Kohl and the New Germany – Helmut Kohl’s German politics

• Kohl was Chancellor for more than 16 years.

• He retained the social market economy.

• The country became an environmental leader.

• He skillfully guided the country among super tensions.

• He successfully engineered the reunification of Germany.


CREATING A DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL CULTURE• Early years of new democracy were uncertain.

– Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba found substantial differences between German and British or American values, which they thought did not augur well for German democracy.

• Still signs of rigidity in “quaint” laws.

• Economic growth provided stability.

• Gradually rising levels of participation

• Rise of Green Party and post-materialist values are latest changes.

• Germans are anti-militarist and endorse role in international organizations .– Germany’s new peaceful culture is one of the

reasons it has not sought to assert is newfound power militarily.

CREATING A DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL CULTURE

• Intense academic study finds three reasons for changes.– Federal Republic has been an effective regime.– Political socialization (from schools to families) has

changed.– Two generations removed from the Nazi era—the

1930s.

CREATING A DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL CULTURE

TABLE 6.3 Germans and Democracy

Source: Adapted from Dieter Fuchs, “Trends of Political Support in the FederalRepublic of Germany,” in Political Culture in Germany, ed. Dirk Berg-Schlosserand Ralf Rytlewski (London: Macmillan, 1993), 249.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

• The fragmented and ideological polarized parties were a major problem in the Weimar Republic .– The Federal Republics would have the same

experience. – CDU and SDP dominate parties, most of time in

coalition with FDP. – A new party, the Greens, has been able to

overcome the 5% barrier.

• Parties and the Electoral Process– The Basic Law puts political parties in a

privileged position. • The major parties play a central role in

nominating important position in economy and society.

• Public funds provide about 30% of the $100 million or more each major party spends during election campaign.


• Parties and the Electoral Process (Cont’d)– Article 21 in the Basic Law

• Created a dual system for electing the Bundestag

• Half the seats are elected in 299 single-member districts.

• Voters also cast a second ballot

– Choose from lists of candidates of each party

– Seats are allocated proportionally to all parties that win over 5% of the vote

• All parties try to catch all voters


TABLE 6.4 German Election Results since 1949: Major Parties Only

This table only includes votes cast in the proportional representation half of Bundestag elections. CDU/CSU, Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union; FDP, Free Democratic Party; SPD, Social Democratic Party; PDS, Party of Democratic Socialism.

• The Christian Democrats– Most powerful party– Early CDU pulled in two contradictory directions

• Adenauer forged centrist party– Kohl and impact of unification – Grand coalition


• The Social Democrats– Second strongest party – Has not been as successful as a catch-all party – Hampered by internal policy disagreements– Sigmar Gabriel was chosen to head the party.

• “Siggy Pop” will be a Chancellor candidate in 2013.


• The Free Democratic Party– Power broker between larger parties

– Old fashioned liberals

– It has struggled since unification and Genscher’s retirement.


• The Greens– Broke 5% barrier in 1983– Ideology based on attempt at holistic analysis of

social, economic, and political issues– Disunity has hampered its effectiveness.


• The Party of Democratic Socialism/Left Party– Descendant of Stalinist party in DDR– Uncertain future

• The Far Right– Visible, but not effective; has not come close to

5% barrier

• The Stakes of 2013– Merkel’s popularity has dropped since the 2009

election; garnered little support from German voters who resent paying off deficits elsewhere in the eurozone.


• Interest Groups– Large, unified labor union movement

• Federation of German Labor (DGB)– Umbrella organization representing 17

unions• Two large business groups participate in politics.• Chambers of commerce and industry also active.• Major groups have close ties to parties.


• Chancellor Democracy– Fusion of executive and legislative power in

chancellor and cabinet– Article 65 – Constructive vote of no confidence

procedure offers stability.– Chancellor’s large staff provides opportunity

for wide oversight, can develop expertise.

THE GERMAN STATE: A SMOOTHLY FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY

FIGURE 6.1 Policy-Making Processes in Germany

• The Bundestag– Power is limited like that of UK’s

parliament.• Constructive vote of no confidence does offer

real power at times of gridlock.• Powerful committee system provides leverage.• Party groups play essential roles in functioning of

legislature.


• The Bundesrat• Gives states direct representation in government

– States select representatives– Can only delay legislation that would not have

direct impact on the state– Must approve all legislation affecting states– Convenes “Mediation Committees” when two

houses disagree


TABLE 6.5 Bundesrat Delegations: November 2010

• The Federal System– Basic law divides power between states and federal

government, unlike Britain and France, which are unitary states.

– States have power for policy in wide range of areas.– States administer most national laws and programs.– Careers of many leaders started in the state

governments, unlike Britain and France.


• The Civil Service– Long tradition of powerful senior civil

servants– De-nazifying the bureaucracy – Decentralized—90% are state employees.– In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the SPD

government passed a law to restrict entry of alleged radicals into the civil service at all levels.


• The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC)– Judges have clear political identity. – Hears cases involving the constitutionality of

state and federal laws– Can review laws passed without other legal

proceedings


THE GERMAN STATE: A SMOOTHLY FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY• Corporatism

– Government and key interest groups work together through informal arrangement.

– Germans have most fully adopted corporatist practices in economy successfully.

• Corporatism (Cont’d)– Concerted Action (1966–1977) – Strong informal ties between bureaucracy and

business community– Wide consensus on economic policy between

business and labor– Codetermination gives workers meaningful role on

boards of large companies.– German banks play large role in setting economic

policy until changes that antedated economic crisis. – Non-economic issue groups are not represented in

the corporatist system.– Bundesbank


PUBLIC POLICY: MODELL DEUTSCHLAND• The Social Market Economy

– Economy grew very rapidly due to several reasons:

– Marshall Plan aid – Government played major role in economic

growth since 1945.– Most globally-oriented European economy– Continuity of government policy under Kohl

—an important feature– Challenge of reunification – Agenda 2010 has offered needed flexibility

to businesses.

• Unification– Significantly slowed economic growth– Transition has been expensive and a

culturally difficult task.– Kohl incorporated East Germany into the

German State through Article 2 instead of Article 146, but the German government was reactive rather than proactive.

– Treuhand faced challenges with privatization.

– Political and social challenges

PUBLIC POLICY: MODELL DEUTSCHLAND

THE MEDIA

• Quality newspapers have relatively small circulations. – Each have clear political leanings like Britain and

France.• Germany has more locally-produced television

options than Britain or France – The most popular private station (SAT 1) has been

more supportive of the CDU than the state-owned ones (ARD, ZDF).

• Whoever wins will face two major issues: – First, it will have to maintain the economic upswing of

the last few years, which is by no means guaranteed.

– Second, it will still have to deal with continued fallout from the crisis in the eurozone.

CONCLUSION: WHAT’S NEXT?

DISCUSSION

• How does Germany’s troubled history still affect its political culture and the rest of its political life?

Documents

C LICKER 2 POINTS Germany’s government is A.A Presidential system like the US B.A parliamentary system like Great Britain C.Still dominated by a royal