Fusion of Civil/Military Authority

Problems of National Identity

Concurrent Modernization Crises:

Fusion of Civil/Military Authority

• Unification was largely result of war/conquest, making military a key political actor.

• When an institutional military is largely or exclusively the agent of state formation, the establishment of ‘civilian supremacy’ (subordination of military to elected civilian leaders; essential in democracies) is extremely problematic.

Problems of National Identity

sudden merger of many different ‘nationalities’ as a result of unification created uncertainty over what it meant to be ‘German.’

Exaggerated Conformity Demands

‘Jingoism’

 late consolidation meant Germany had to face multiple modernization challenges simultaneously, rather than sequentially like its neighbors. In less than 50 years, Germany had to deal with crises such as:

1.Political Institutionalization

2.Economic Development

3.Sociopolitical Transformation

Political Institutionalization

 creation of entirely new state and governing philosophy

 urbanization, emergence of new classes and demands for political access

Weimar Republic 

a short-lived post-WWI democratic system in Germany.

“Doltschoss Legend”

• or ‘Stab in the Back’ legend

• theory blaming Germany’s loss in WWI not on military defeat, but betrayal by leftist German politicians and Jews

• used by anti-democrats, particularly the Nazis, to undermine support for civilian rule and to fuel anti-Semitism.

Why did Weimar collapse? Preconditions

Lack of Democratic Culture

Perceived Illegitimacy

 Institutional Flaws

Lack of Democratic Culture

Perceived Illegitimacy

democracy was imposed by outsiders after WWI defeat, wasn’t home-grown but forced.

Institutional Flaws

How did Weimar collapse? 

Systemic Shocks

From the outset, then, the Weimar state faced major challenges to effective governance.

When confronted with a series of crises, or political systemic shocks-disruptions of political system’s equilibrium, sometimes beyond the point of recovery

Systemic Shocks

Economic Disintegration

Instability and Violence

Economic Disintegration

hyperinflation

 period of rapid inflation that leaves a country’s currency virtually worthless

Strikes, riots and even an attempted putsch by Hitler reinforced impression that state couldn’t even do basic things like maintain order.

putsch 

an illegal effort to forcibly overthrow the current government

Systematic Shock

Collapse

Economic Disintegration

Instability and Violence

Foreign Pressure

1)Politically humiliation (which fanned nationalism)

2)Economically devastation (which fueled extremism)

 ‘realist’ foreign policy based on power, not ideal or morals; ‘might makes right’

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   1.  title referring to the emperors of Germany until 1918

A reference to Caesar

 Subordination of military to elected civilian leaders; essential in democracy

 acceptance of beliefs, traditions or practices of those outside one’s group

1. Urbanization emergence of new classes and demands for political access

 Theory blaming Germany's loss in WWI not on military defeat, but betrayal by leftist German politicians and Jews

an illegal effort to forcibly overthrow the current government

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              • Politically humiliating (which fanned nationalism)
              • Economically devastating (which fueled extremism)

the total surrender of a defeated force with no capacity to dictate terms of a conflict’s end

 compensation demanded from a defeated nation by the victors (the entire bill of World War I)

 the creation of political structures and institutions explicitly designed to remedy past problems

 something that is required by law and cannot ignored

 conflicts over competing bureaucratic jurisdictional claims

 individual who is the chief representative of the country to the outside world with mostly symbolic, no ‘real’ power

 individual with significant political power who exercises control of executive functions

 an interim constitution that can  

 a parliamentary government in which governing party or coalition does not have a majority seats

 indirect veto of legislation through refusal to sign bills requiring executive approval

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         1. Constitutional requirement that when parliament votes out a string government (no confidence), it must simultaneously vote in a new government

            • Eliminates possibly of ‘negative’ coalition

an election called ahead of schedule in parliamentary systems

-Parliament of Germany

-Lower house; directly elected

-almost always serves its full 4 year term because it’s nearly impossible for Chancellor to call a snap election

Upper House: Bundesrat (indirect)

Lower House: Bundestag (direct)

citizens/voters directly cast ballots for individuals or parties to fill specific elected offices

voters cast ballots to elect some form of assembly which then in turn chooses an individual to fill a particular roles

Representative Body of the Regional States

Upper house; indirectly elected

Represents states each state government appoints 3-6 delegates (total 68), usually members of state-level cabinets

1. 1. 1. 1. State delegates are required to vote together as a single bloc

         2. Important/powerful body, considered co-equal of lower house of any matter directly affecting state interest (2/3 of all bills)

            • On purely ‘federal’ (i.e. ‘national’) bills can only exercise suspensive powers

              
              

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   1. 1. Head of the dominant party in lower house, chosen by a majority vote in that chamber---German Chancellor has certain limitation and protections

      2. Limitations

         1. Federalism System: Central government (headed by Chancellor) must share power with states.

         2. Constitutional Court: Unlike Britain, Chancellor’s acts are subject to judicial review by Constitutional Court

A court empowered to hear appeals made by lower court (like the US Supreme Court)

 Additional seats added to Bundestag(lower house) if the number of a party's district winners exceeds its 'quota'

a focus more on non-economic or ‘quality of life’ issues, like social justice, environment, etc.

 the two largest parties form a coalition government  

Governing coalition can only survive by avoiding major reforms or initiatives  

Major party support is undermined

 an economic model which combines the competition between private actors inherent in free markets with heavy regulation and redistribution characteristic of welfare states

Austerity Plan

policy of sharp reductions in state spending  

 an interest that is subjectively important and the perceived personal consequences are significant

Liberalism

Mercantilism

Communism

Social Democracy

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         1. Functional Role

Cabinet Members act as representatives of their ministry to the executive

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            • Political Role

Cabinet members act as agents of the executive to the bureaucracy

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      1. The only power of the court is that of judicial review; it does not serve as an appellate Court

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      2. Sixteen justices, chosen by parliament (eight from each house)

         1. Justices serve 12-year term system and must retire at age 68

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   1. Sub-national Government--- Länder (states, plural)

      1. Germany has 16 Länd or states

         1. Each has it’s own parliament (Ländtag), which is directly elected

         2. States have a significant degree of autonomy; control over Internal affairs

      2. SIGNIFICANT because of the political history of Germany

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   1. 1. The percent of the party list vote determines the total number of seats that each party will getSets the party quota

      2. These seats are first filled by ALL district winners (i.e. individual candidates) then by party list, (in descending order)

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            • Party quota is set by PR aspect and the winners of the SMDP stage are the ones to fill this party quota seats

All district winners (i.e. individual candidates) automatically win their seat

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         1. If the number of a party’s district winners exceeds it’s ‘quota’, additional seats are added for that secession of the bundestag

         2. Number of delegates in the session contingent on the election

In order to be eligible for their ‘quota’, a party must meet one of the following two conditions

Win more than 5% of the national vote

1. 1. 1. 1. • 1. 1. Win at least 3 individual district seats

Weakens representative institutions

Restricts participation