Modell Leistungsgesellschaft: the 'Achieving Society'
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Modell Leistungsgesellschaft: the ‘Achieving Society’ and the concept of ‘Leistung’ in the Third Reich and the Federal Republic, 1933-1975 Lisa Victoria Renken Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of History 1 Statement of Originality I, Lisa Victoria Renken, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Date: 03/04/2016 Details of collaboration and publications: N.A. 2 Abstract This thesis analyses the uses of the concept of a Leistungsgesellschaft to explore the breaks and continuities in the transition from Third Reich to Federal Republic as well as within the post-war era. Between 1933 and 1975, the ‘achieving society’ and the concept of Leistung became ever more widely used and criticised. The individual in the National Socialist period was pressured to achieve in the name of a politically and racially defined commonweal, or risk exclusion from the national community. By contrast, the post-war period witnessed a shift as Ordoliberalism emphasised the individual opportunity a focus on performance in a competitive market generated. However, Ordoliberal theory had a limited impact on policy, also failing to overcome the tension between endorsing individual achievement and the developing welfare state. As part of an increasingly international debate, sociologists assessed how far the opportunities of the market actually extended and gauged the consequences of the Leistungsgesellschaft. These discussions show the active role of researchers in moulding a mental map of a highly advanced ‘West’. At the same time, a pattern that coheres with the model of the ‘long sixties’ is also present in these debates. The increasingly critical tone adopted by sociologists predated and prepared the way for the more radical ideas of the New Left. By the mid-1960s, activists and academics were highlighting the repressive emotional and psychological consequences of stressing achievement, prompting conservative efforts to defend Leistung. On the whole, a gendered line of exclusion and a trend towards Verwissenschaftlichung are the most striking continuities between 1933 and 1975. Racialized understandings of achievement are reframed in the context of debates about the ‘underdeveloped’ states. The thesis as a whole paints a picture of an increasing individualisation of Leistung as well as growing focus on the pressures and problems inherent in endorsing achievement. 3 Table of Contents Modell Leistungsgesellschaft: the ‘Achieving Society’ and the concept of ‘Leistung’ in the Third Reich and the Federal Republic, 1933-1975 ................................................................ 1 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 7 Chapter One: “Es gibt nur mehr deutsche Volksgenossen und sie werden nur gewertet nach ihrer Leistung.”- National Socialist conceptualisations of achievement ................. 24 I: Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 24 II: Leistung as a racial concept ............................................................................................. 35 III: Military and masculine Leistung .................................................................................... 41 IV: Competition and the role of the entrepreneur ............................................................. 42 V: The ultimate purpose of Leistung ................................................................................... 47 VI: Leistung as a gendered concept ..................................................................................... 54 VII: Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 60 Chapter Two: Achieving in the social market economy: Ordoliberal conceptualisations of Leistung 1928-1966 ......................................................................................................... 62 I: Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 62 II: Ordoliberalism in the Weimar Republic and under National Socialism...................... 68 III: Ordoliberal ideas in post-war period and their implementation ............................... 76 IV: Ordoliberalism and the Sozialstaat ............................................................................... 88 V: Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 102 Chapter Three: Turning westwards and critiquing capitalism: Leistungsgesellschaft in sociological debates 1945-1975 ........................................................................................ 106 I: Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 106 II: The influence of American and British sociology ........................................................ 108 III: The United States as a model ....................................................................................... 117 IV: A ‘western’ model in a socialist world? ....................................................................... 125 V: Education ........................................................................................................................ 128 VI: Gender ........................................................................................................................... 136 VII: Health ........................................................................................................................... 142 VIII: Age ............................................................................................................................... 148 IX: German models in the mid-seventies .......................................................................... 151 X: Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 154 Chapter Four: The “almighty achievement principle” – The critique of the concept of achievement between 1965 and 1975 ............................................................................. 157 I: Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 157 II: The Achieving Society, the achievement principle and the Frankfurt School........... 161 III: From society to principle: Leistungsprinzip – its historical roots, status and effect on West German society ......................................................................................................... 165 4 IV: The problem of Leistungsdruck.................................................................................... 175 V: Trying to move beyond Leistung .................................................................................. 180 VI: The appropriation of the concept by the women’s movement ................................. 191 VII: In defence of Leistung .................................................................................................. 203 VIII: Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 209 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 211 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 219 Primary material ................................................................................................................ 219 Unpublished material ......................................................................................................... 219 Published material ............................................................................................................. 219 Secondary Material ............................................................................................................ 242 Websites .............................................................................................................................. 255 5 Acknowledgments Thanks to my supervisor, Christina von Hodenberg for reading countless drafts, giving invaluable comments