Germany Test Study guide
1. The Federal Republic of Germany was created in 1990, when the FRG and GDR were reunited by the “two plus four” treaty Two Germanys+ US/UK/France/Russia
2. A historical legacy of the reformation is that Germany has a mix of Catholics and Protestants.
3. In the 19th Century, Germany was unified under leadership from Prussia.
4. Original German unification created a state with military dominance in Europe.
5. The German Second Reich ruled from 1871 to 1918. The Third Reich under Hitler was between 1933 and 1945.
6. The rise of the Nazi regime was a rejection of upper-class Prussian domination.
7. The drafters of West Germany’s Basic Law attempted to prevent the success of extremist parties by electing half the lower house by proportional representation.
8. German lander administer most federal laws. Germany is a federation.
9. The Enabling Act gave Hitler the dictatorial powers he sought and provided the legal basis for the entire Third Reich.
10. The more powerful, and lower, house of the German Parliament today is the Bundestag.
11. Since 1949, the CDU has been in power the longest in Germany.
12. The success of post-1949 democracy in Germany is usually attributed to robust economic growth.
13. Today, most Germans accept the institutions and processes of a democratic system.
14. The CDU Chancellor at the time of reunification was Helmut Kohl.
15. The perennially small Free Democratic Party (FDP) has survived as an important political force in large part because its support has been needed to form most government coalitions.
16. The “constructive vote of no confidence” in Germany’s Basic Law means that the legislature cannot vote a government out of office unless it votes a new government into office.
17. In 1992-93, Germany experienced thousands of attacks on immigrants.
18. The Bundestag is usually more powerful than the British House of Commons for all the following reasons: . • it can more easily replace the chancellor (prime minister) • • it has a more extensive committee system . • Bundestag members have more individual resources for research and constituent services • Bundestag parties control more of the house’s operation
19. Bundestag members are unusual in Europe, because they often must approve compromises made by corporatist representatives.
20. Evidence of the German chancellor’s power includes a staff significantly larger than that of other European Prime Ministers.
21. Judges on the German Constitutional Court cannot be reappointed. They do have judicial review.
22. Political parties in Germany today tend to be catch-all parties, as evidenced by the pragmatic leadership of Schroder and Merkel.
23. One sign that German political parties are powerful comes from their roles in appointing non-governmental officials like bank directors and broadcasting managers.
24. In the German political system, corporatism describes informal, private negotiations among economic elites to decide on broad policy goals. It resembles the British QUANGO process and America’s “iron triangle”.
25. The German Miracle was the economic recovery after 1949.
26. The group which commits the most attacks on immigrants and non-whites today is made up of young, unemployed men, primarily from the east. 27. Know the political parties of Schroder and Merkel.
28. Legislative elections in Germany are designed to make majorities more likely by choosing half the legislators in plurality elections.
29. Economic challenges facing German policymakers include persuading business and labor stakeholders to reach agreements on changes to meet new economic conditions.
30. The German President plays a relatively minor role in policymaking compared to the chancellor.
31. German experiences with the Weimar Republic suggest that a weak democracy may facilitate the rise of political extremists 32. Germany’s economy is best described as a social-market economy.
33. Wage-earner funds in Germany Are funded through a tax on company profits and can purchase company shares 34. Chancellor Otto von Bismarck created the first modern welfare state in 1880 because he wanted to preempt the more radical demands of the growing Social Democratic Party.
35. Germany’s electoral system for the Bundestag combines proportional representation and first past the post systems
36. After the national elections in 2002, Gerhard Schroeder’s party, theSPD, formed an alliance with the Green party.
• Bad Godesburg
• Overhang mandate
• Gastarbeiter
• Lander
• Bundestag
• Bundesrat
• Junkers
• Free market economy
• co-determination (workers + employer members serve on boards of directors)
• 5% threshold ESSAYS:
Describe Germany’s modern political culture.
Explain Germany’s foreign policy prerogatives and how they are determined.