PoliticsinGermany.pptVIP

Politics in Germany Historical Legacies Federal Republic of Germany Population: 82 million The most populous country in Europe except for Russia 68 million in the former West Germany Area: about 3 times that of Mississippi Britain ~ 2/3 Germany Germany ~ 2/3 France A World Power Third largest economy in the world behind U.S. and Japan largest in Europe Historical legacy Late development in creation of the nation and state industrialization democratization consolidation of democracy Remarkable achievement in postwar economic development postwar democratic consolidation Build the nation state Second German Empire (1871) industrialization devastated by World War I (1914 - 1918) Weimar Republic (1919) first real experience with democracy economic problems war reparations Great Depression (1929) Democracy broke down Weimar Republic lost popular/elite support Nazi won 33% of popular vote in 1932 institutions of Weimar Republic dismantled The Third Reich (1933 - 1945) Germany in ruins military and civilian deaths industry and transportation destroyed food scarcity Occupation Germany divided West Germany Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) East Germany German Democratic Republic (GDR) East Germany, West Germany Both were formed in 1949 Basic Law of FRG (West Germany) Both had economic miracle (1950s - 70s) sustained unprecedented economic growth East Germany still lagged behind Both were integrated into alliances West: European Community NATO East: Warsaw Pact Reunification 1990-10-03 Impact of Soviet politics Gorbachev reforms in 1980s GDR opened the Berlin border November 1989 GDR’s first free election March 1990 Unification of the FRG October 1990 A federal system Federal Republic of Germany federal government (Bund) 16 states (Lander) Other federal systems United States Unitary systems Great Britain France Federalism Usually described as a division of power spatial or territorial division component units are geographically defined states (e.g., U.S., India, Australia) p