FRG: Nature Of Support For Democracy 1949-89

Question 1

How did the elections symbolise the level of support for democracy in the FRG?

Answer 1

There was consistently high turnout for Democratic elections and only time it was less than 84% was in 1949, when voting happened for the first time

In Britain turnouts always lower suggesting that there was a significant level of support for democracy between 1949- 1989.

Question 2

How had Democratic interest increased in comparison to monarchial beliefs?

Answer 2

Research done by the Allensbach Institute showed the number of people who believed that members of the Bundastag represented public interest doubled between 1951 to 64 in the same period the number of people who believed a monarchy should be restored fell from a 1/3rd to 1/10th

Question 3

Measures of support for democracy

Answer 3

• people demanded the country live up to the ideals of democracy that was set up by the basic law and demonstrated against the emergency law
• people marched and supported democracy and against oppressive regimes in other countries, like the military junta that ruled Greece after 1967
• protested against shift to Ostpolitik if it meant establishing relations with USSR due to repressive regime in their country.

Question 4

Why was the shift towards Ostpolitik and establishing relations with the Soviet union A difficult issue for democratic supporters?

Answer 4

Supporters were in favour of reunification with the GDR and helping establish democracy in the Soviet satellite states, so they approved a realignment Eastward.

But found it difficult to accept such policy had to include the USSR due to the influence in the GDR

Question 5

How was the support for democracy in the Weimar government and FRG similar?

Answer 5

Clear there was support for the idea of democracy, but this was a separate issue from the support of the government and power, which was supposedly democratic