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History - Dictatorships In Germany 1919-63 > Creation of West Germany > Flashcards

Creation of West Germany Flashcards

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1
Q

When was the basic law created ?

A

1949

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2
Q

Who / whom was involved in developing the basic law ?

A

It was drawn by a delegated council from parliament in Germany but was closely supervised by western powers.

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3
Q

Why was this new constitution called the ‘ Basic law’ ?

A

It was expected to be a temporary measure until Germany was unified.

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4
Q

What month in 1949 does the basic law come into action ?

A

May 1949

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5
Q

What were the main changes from the basic law for politics ?

A
  • There is the use of a mixture of proportion representation and first past post systems.
  • Secondly, the constitution worked off of. ‘Representative’ democracy as opposed to ‘participatory’ democracy.
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6
Q

What was first past post ?

A

The person / party with the most votes is elected even without a majority.

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7
Q

What was a significant amendment concerning party votes ?

A

An amendment was made which stated that parties needed at least 5% of the vote to be represented in parliament.

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8
Q

What was the problem with proportional representation ?

A

It had meant that small parties could have influence in coalition governments.

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9
Q

Explain what ‘participatory’ democracy is.

A

Individuals participate in the political decision in the decision making process.

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10
Q

Explain what ‘representative democracy’ is.

A

The public elects representatives to take decisions on their behalf.

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11
Q

What were the main contents of the constitution ?

A
  • Basic freedoms were guaranteed.
  • Writers ensured that no dictator could take control of the FRG.
  • It ensured that all governments would be democratically elected.
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12
Q

In the new constitution, how were Chancellor and President chosen ?

A

The President was chosen by a group of members from the Bundestag and länder ( local ) parliaments.

The Chancellor needed to be approved by parliament ( not simply just the president ).

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13
Q

What were the results of the 1949 election ?

A

The CDU ( Christian democratic republic ) won this election and Konrad Adenauer became Chancellor.

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14
Q

What were the election figures ?

A

31% of the votes —> CDU
29.2% of the votes —> SPD

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15
Q

Which party was the CDU’s main rival from 1949-63 ?

A

The social Democratic Party ( SPD )

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16
Q

Who was the leader of the SPD party ?

A

Kurt Schumacher

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17
Q

What was turnout of the 1949 election ?

A

78.5 %

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18
Q

What were the promises of the CDU ?

A
  • To bring a focus on families and social welfare.
  • To defend the FDR against communism.
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19
Q

What was the main appeal of the CDU ?

A

It has cross-confessional ( different branches of Christianity ) appeal and conservative values.

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20
Q

What was the main aim of the SPD ?

A

To create a united and socialist Germany.

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21
Q

What was evidence in the FDR for an ‘economic recovery’ ?

A
  • By 1954, the FDR were behind the US and Britain as a trading power.
  • Employment rose
  • Real incomes rose
  • Fast economic growth
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22
Q

How much did employment rise by in the ‘economic miracle’ ?

A

4.2 % in 1955

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23
Q

How did incomes rise by between 1949 and 1963 ?

A

400%

24
Q

What was the annual growth in the FDR between 1951 and 1965 ?

A

8 % annual growth.

25
Q

Between 1950 and 1955 , how much did the FRG’s GNI increase by ?

A

100%

26
Q

What were the five reasons behind the ‘economic miracle’ ?

A
  1. The social market economy
  2. The Korean War
  3. The government
  4. The Marshall plan
  5. Impact of Bizonia
27
Q

What was the ‘social market economy’ ?

A

A system where there was not unlimited capitalism and the state could intervene when they believed it would benefit society.

28
Q

How did the FRG economy benefit from the Korean War ?

A

The war meant greater demand for Ruhr goods which was profitable.
Competitor nations could not supply war materials and so FDR exports increased by 100%.

29
Q

What role did the government play in the economic miracle ?

A
  • The government controlled inflation through the regulation of interest rates and supply of money.
30
Q

What two factors meant that government expenditure was relatively low ?

A
  • The government did not have to pay large amounts of reparations.
  • Minimal defence costs as the government did not have an army until 1955.
31
Q

What role did the Marshall plan have in the economic miracle ?

A

Aid from the Marshall plan stimulated the economy

32
Q

What is an argument against the Marshall plan contributing to the ‘economic miracle’ ?

A

Historians ( some ) that between 1948 and 1949, Marshall aid was only 5% of the FDR’s GDP.

33
Q

What impact did Bizonia have on the economic miracle ?

A

formation of Bizonia drove economic growth :
- western powers removed price controls, implemented currency reform ( Deutchmark ), encouraged free competition and reduced marginal tax rates.
As this encouraged people to work.

34
Q

What was a negative of Bizonia initially ?

A

The benefits did not come instantly, initially prices rose and impact the poor significantly.

35
Q

What other arguments do historian have for the ‘economic miracle’ ?

A

It was due to the combined circumstances of what was left behind by the third Reich and external development of world trade.

36
Q

What were the factors that contributed to political stability ?

A
  1. Impact of the economic miracle
  2. Longevity of Adenauer
    3.Political parties
  3. Lack of opposition
37
Q

How did the impact of the economic miracle contribute to political stability ?

A

It provided a strong foundation for west Germany’s political stability.
Adenauer’s regime was accredited with the economic miracle.

38
Q

How did the longevity of Adenauer contribute to political stability ?

A

Adenauer and the CDU succeeded in four election which indicates his popularity and population desire for stability.

39
Q

When was the period of ‘chancellor democracy’ and why was it called that ?

A

1949 to 1963 as Adenauer had such a prominent role in policy making.

40
Q

Explain how political parties played a part in political stability.

A

The Bundestag was made up of small dominant parties which prevented the Bundestag from being divided into lots of small parties with weak coalitions.
Additionally, the CDU dominated politics with the SPD as it main rival.

41
Q

Explain why there was a lack of opposition.

A

Extremist parties were banned.
Adenauer absorbed right wing parties into the CDU.

42
Q

Which extremist parties were banned in the FDR ?

A

The socialist Reich party
The communist party

43
Q

When were the elections in west Germany ?

A

1949, 1953, 1957, 1961

44
Q

Which year did the CDU vote drop in West Berlin ?

A

1961
Vote dropped form 50.2% to 45.3%

45
Q

What were the positives and negatives of the refugees arriving in West Germany after world war 2 ?

A

Positive : their presence benefitted the economy ( labour force )
Negative : They displaced some West German workers.

46
Q

What were the two problems caused by WWII that the CDU had to deal with ?

A

Refugees
Aftermath of Nazis ( memory mostly )

47
Q

What were impacts of the economic recovery ? / reforms of the government after WWII ?

A

Introduction of housing projects
Wages rose by 400%
More consumer goods became more accessible to consumers

48
Q

How many houses were built by 1957 ?

A

4 million

49
Q

What was Adenauer’s primary aim for West Germany ?

A

To intergrate West Germany into the West.
Does this through :
- Military integration
- Economic integration
- International organisation
- Political integration
- Rapporochment with France

50
Q

Explain how economic integration occurred in West Germany.

A

West Germany is recognised as a key member in reconstructing Western Europe’s economy.
West Germany regains control to its coal and steel industry in 1951 ( an equal to France ).

51
Q

What was the rapprochement with France ?

A

France willing to have a harmonious relationship with West Germany.

52
Q

What was the condition of the rapproachment with France ?

A

West Germany was to accept the division of Germany and not seek reunification.

53
Q

Explain the ways West Germany was intergrated back into European politics ?

A

West Germany joined :
- the Council of Europe
- The European Coal and Steel community ( EEC )
- NATO

54
Q

When did West Germany join NATO ?

A

1955

55
Q

When did West Germany join the council of Europe ?

A

1948

56
Q

When did West Germany join the EEC ?

A

1957

57
Q

What was the Hallstein doctrine ?

A

A foreign policy aim where West Germany and Adenauer explicitly refused to recognise East Germany as an official state.

History - Dictatorships In Germany 1919-63 (8 decks)

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