Nature of support for democracy Flashcards
What was the level of turnout for elections in the FRG like?
Always high - the only time turnout was less than 84% was in the first election in 1949.
What did surveys show by the 1960s?
That the majority of German people felt democracy was the best form of government for the FRG.
In comparison to Britain, what was voter turnout like in the FRG?
Always lower in Britain than that of the FRG - it only went above 79% twice.
What did surveys show between 1951-64?
That the number of people who believe the members of the Bundestag represented public interest doubled during this period. Public support for the restoration of a monarchy also fell from 1/3 to 1/10.
What did US opinion polls suggest?
Between 50-67% of people thought that de-Nazification was necessary in the period 1945-49. However, this fell to under 1/4 in 1951.
What policy did the younger generation become impatient with during the 1960s?
The year zero policy - they strongly protested against the government’s failings in the de-Nazification programme.
What Law did people demonstrate against which would restrict democracy and civil liberties?
The Emergency Law of 1968
What are examples of members of the public marching in support of democracy and against repressive regimes in other countries?
People protested against the government’s diplomatic and trade relations with South Africa under apartheid and Greece under military rule.
What policy did people protest against from the late 1960s?
The policy of Ostpolitik (establishing relations with East Germany). They were against establishing relations with the USSR which they perceived as a repressive, communist regime.
How did de-Nazification fail in Bavaria?
By 1947, 85% of school teachers who had lost their jobs through de-Nazification were back at work.
What proportion of students in the University of Frankfurt believed in the future of democracy in 1961?
Only 1/3
What active right-wing group gained traction in the 1960s?
The neo-Nazi NDP (National Democratic Party) founded in 1964. It was gaining representation in several local Länd parliaments.
What percentage of jurists were former Nazis in some counties?
95%
How did the judiciary uphold Nazi laws?
They lacked incentive to make amends for the past. They were responsible for upholding a number of old laws from the Nazi era, including the Law for the Prevention of Hereditary Diseases which was not repealed until 1974.
