Question for the EuroTubbies

[Mao]

So I have an essay assignment that asks me to look at how unification has changed Germany's "political culture."

Now, I've done readings on this and such, but I think actual people might be able to give me more insight. As such, since some of you are in Germany and may/may not be old enough to remember unification, what do you think? How has it fundamentally changed Germany's political culture? If at all?

[Spiffor]

The unification ahs considerably changed Germany's polkitical culture in the East. This matter has been of Scholarly interest to Dalton, but it has most notably interested Rohrschneider:

Rohrschneider, Robert 1999: Learning Democracy: Democratic and Economic Values in unified Germany. New York: Oxford University Press.

[Mao]

It has certainly in the East, new system and all, but what about overall? Any new national trends you see? Obviously to change from a totalitarian regime to a democratic one, there must be considerable change in political culture, but that answer almost seems too obvious to me.

[Gangerolf]

the reunification was basically just the Bundesrepublik (West Germany) getting 6 more states.

the german political system today is pretty much the same as that of former West Germany

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm horribly wrong

[Spiffor]

Gangerolf is right.

[Gangerolf]

not that I don't enjoy nitpicking or anything, but the german unification happened in 1871.

[Spiffor]

Again, Gangerolf is right.

[Mao]

Reunification. Fine. But "political culture" encompasses more than just what has happened constritutionally. It refers to what people believe, their political alignment, etc. etc.

[Spiffor]

Yes. I haven't noticed nor heard of any significant change in the (West) German political culture since the reunification. One might argue that communism is less seen as the ultimate evil in West Germany now (the lefties who left the Social-Democratic party have actually joined forces with the ex-Commies during the 2005 elections, and questioning capitalism isn't as demonized as before in the west), but that might be also due to the general disappearance of the socialist regimes 15 years ago, as well as to the continuous failure of the German model of capitalism since pretty much the same time.

[Last Conformist]

Not strictly political, but Wessis have become considerably more pessimistic about their future since '89.

[Ecthy]

In international relations, Germany is considered stronger and more sovereign, which is also understood and transported by politicians, so more self confidence outward is a part of political culture.

Also, new parties: The greens already appeared during the 80s, but there is a chance they might have disappeared had they not been expanded by some left-alternative movements from the East. Plus, the former leading GDR party was transformed into a "normal" party. So we now have 5 parties in the parliament as opposed t 3 earlier, which made for totally new options as for government building. This has also changed the public as well as high level understanding of politics, and thus, political culture.

These are just superficial matters anyway, just to begin with. What do you study?

[VetLegion]

Is there more corruption now that East German politicans have entered the system?

[Ecthy]

As for deeper matters, the whole nationalism issue: the reunification sparked controversies about growing national sentiments. Nowadays people have a more distinct approach toward the issue of being a proud maember of your nation on one hand and jingoism on the other hand. I think the stronger acknowledgement of this distinct has provided a change in political culture in that the inferior complex has been dissolved. See my point about international relations. In short, people can now feel strong even as Germans without pissing their pants for being bad boys or something. Just an idea I can think of now.

Hell, I don't even know if any of this is part of political culture, but then it is definitely more so than that constitutional crap people came up with earlier.

We now go abroad and wage war alongside with our allies. In Desert Storm of 1991, we exercised "paycheck diplomacy", as in you fought and we paid. Nowadays, if we support a cause (Kosovo, Afghanistan), we're no longer afraid of following.

BTW, you'll get mostly international-related stuff of me.

[Ecthy]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Is there more corruption now that East German politicans have entered the system?

Is there supposed to be a point to this? Seriously, I'm not sure if that is a troll or not. You never know with Croats

[Ecthy]

Election campaigns are said to have "become more American style" in that they are more designed according to single candidates rather than the programs of entire parties. Not sure what's the reason for this anyway, but it has changed another part of political culture.

Oh, and nowadays elections usually produce a leftist majority which then turns out to be unable to form a government