Germany Today

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the social, political, and economic issues that have affected Germany since the 1990 reunification. It looks at the hardships that face the government in trying to bring together the decrepit society of East Germany with the modern industrial economy of West Germany. The writer addresses issues such as unemployment, increased far-right activity, the European Union, internal political problems and the country's stance on abortion.

From the Paper:

"The initial excitement led to unrealistic expectations, both in the west and the east. For East Germans, unification meant they would have the same political freedom and standard of living found in West Germany. The government of a unified Germany could give the former without great difficulty. As for the latter, West Germany deluded itself into believing that it could raise East Germany's standard of living with the same ease (Edinger & Nacos, 1998, pp. 16-17).
Thus, during the spring of 1990, many politicians and planners in West Germany focused on the deprivation faced by East German consumers. Western policymakers assumed that an infusion of cash into the former East Germany would pump up consumer spending and jump-start that region's economy. They also assumed that greater buying power would stem the flow of refugees and entice many to return to East Germany. Hundreds of thousands had fled East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall, precipitating the crisis that brought down the East German government (Maier, 1997, pp. 230-233)."

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• Essay # 65540 : "Religious Intolerance in Germany"

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