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Comparative Politics
Germany
74
Political Studies
Undergraduate 2
03/28/2011

Additional Political Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
3 consequences of Germanys late founding
Definition

Fusion of Civil/Military Authority

Problems of National Identity

Concurrent Modernization Crises:

Term

Fusion of Civil/Military Authority

Definition

 

  • Unification was largely result of war/conquest, making military a key political actor.

  • When an institutional military is largely or exclusively the agent of state formation, the establishment of civilian supremacy (subordination of military to elected civilian leaders; essential in democracies) is extremely problematic.

 

Term

Problems of National Identity

Definition

sudden merger of many different nationalities as a result of unification created uncertainty over what it meant to be German.

Term

Exaggerated Conformity Demands

Definition
(persecution and fear of anyone ‘different’ (e.g. religious, ethnic minorities); rejection of tolerance (acceptance of beliefs, traditions or practices of those outside one’s group)
Term

‘Jingoism’

Definition
extreme nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy
Term
Concurrent Modernization Crises
Definition

 late consolidation meant Germany had to face multiple modernization challenges simultaneously, rather than sequentially like its neighbors. In less than 50 years, Germany had to deal with crises such as:

1.Political Institutionalization

2.Economic Development


3.Sociopolitical Transformation

Term

Political Institutionalization

Definition

 creation of entirely new state and governing philosophy

Term
Sociopolitical Transformation
Definition

 urbanization, emergence of new classes and demands for political access

Term

Weimar Republic 

Definition

a short-lived post-WWI democratic system in Germany.

Term

“Doltschoss Legend”

Definition

  • or ‘Stab in the Back’ legend

  • theory blaming Germany’s loss in WWI not on military defeat, but betrayal by leftist German politicians and Jews

  • used by anti-democrats, particularly the Nazis, to undermine support for civilian rule and to fuel anti-Semitism.

Term

Why did Weimar collapse? Preconditions

Definition

 

Lack of Democratic Culture


Perceived Illegitimacy


 Institutional Flaws

 

Term

Lack of Democratic Culture

Definition
country had a deep political/ social authoritarian tradition, not democratic one.
Term

Perceived Illegitimacy

Definition

democracy was imposed by outsiders after WWI defeat, wasn’t home-grown but forced.

 

Term

Institutional Flaws

Definition
 extreme PR voting system combined with emergency powers clause made ‘legal’ seizure of power possible.
Term

How did Weimar collapse? 

Systemic Shocks

Definition

From the outset, then, the Weimar state faced major challenges to effective governance.


When confronted with a series of crises, or political systemic shocks-disruptions of political system’s equilibrium, sometimes beyond the point of recovery

Term
political systemic shocks
Definition
disruptions of political system’s equilibrium, sometimes beyond the point of recovery
Term

Systemic Shocks


Definition


Economic Disintegration

Instability and Violence

Term

Economic Disintegration

Definition
For host of reasons, many external to Germany, the country experienced one of the world’s worst episodes of hyperinflation
Term

 

hyperinflation

 

Definition

 

 period of rapid inflation that leaves a country’s currency virtually worthless

 

Term
Instability and Violence
Definition

Strikes, riots and even an attempted putsch by Hitler reinforced impression that state couldn’t even do basic things like maintain order.

Term

putsch 

Definition

an illegal effort to forcibly overthrow the current government

Term
Foreign Pressure
Definition
Terms of Treaty of Versailles (the treaty Germany was forced to sign at the end of WWI) were designed to be punitive.
They stripped Germany of its right to have a military, took much of its territory & colonies and imposed harsh reparations (compensation demanded from a defeated nation by victors) 
Term

Systematic Shock

Collapse

Definition

Economic Disintegration

Instability and Violence

Foreign Pressure

Term
Consequences of Versailles
Definition

1)Politically humiliation (which fanned nationalism)

 

2)Economically devastation (which fueled extremism)

Term
Confederation
Definition
an association of states in which each retains full sovereignty that cannot be overridden by the central government
Term
Realpolitik
Definition

 ‘realist’ foreign policy based on power, not ideal or morals; ‘might makes right’

Term
Kaiser
Definition

  1.  
    1.  title referring to the emperors of Germany until 1918

A reference to Caesar

Term
Civilian Supremacy
Definition

 Subordination of military to elected civilian leaders; essential in democracy

Term
Tolerance
Definition

 acceptance of beliefs, traditions or practices of those outside one’s group

Term
Exaggerated Conformity Demands
Definition

persecution and fear of anyone ‘different’ (i.e. religious/ethnic minorities); absolute rejection of tolerance

Term
Political Institutionalization
Definition

Creation of entirely new state and governing philosophy

Term
Economic Development
Definition

Rapid industrialization necessary to keep up with regional rivals

Term
Sociopolitical Transformation
Definition

  1. Urbanization emergence of new classes and demands for political access

Term
Doltschoss
Definition

 Theory blaming Germany's loss in WWI not on military defeat, but betrayal by leftist German politicians and Jews

Term
Putsch
Definition

an illegal effort to forcibly overthrow the current government

Term
The Consequences of Versailles
Definition

  1.  
    1.  
      1.  
        1.  
          •  
            • Politically humiliating (which fanned nationalism)
            • Economically devastating (which fueled extremism)

Term
Unconditional Surrender
Definition

the total surrender of a defeated force with no capacity to dictate terms of a conflict’s end

Term
Reparations
Definition

 compensation demanded from a defeated nation by the victors (the entire bill of World War I)

Term
Political engineering
Definition

 the creation of political structures and institutions explicitly designed to remedy past problems

Term
Legally Binding
Definition

 something that is required by law and cannot ignored

Term
Jurisdiction
Definition
area of governance or policy over which an entity is granted authority
Term
Turf wars
Definition

 conflicts over competing bureaucratic jurisdictional claims

Term
Head of State
Definition

 individual who is the chief representative of the country to the outside world with mostly symbolic, no ‘real’ power

Term
Head of Government
Definition

 individual with significant political power who exercises control of executive functions

Term
Provisional Constitution
Definition

 an interim constitution that can  

Term
Minority Government
Definition

 a parliamentary government in which governing party or coalition does not have a majority seats

Term
Pocket Veto
Definition

 indirect veto of legislation through refusal to sign bills requiring executive approval

Term
CONSTRUCTIVE NO CONFIDENCE
Definition

  1.  
    1.  
      1.  
        1. Constitutional requirement that when parliament votes out a string government (no confidence), it must simultaneously vote in a new government

          • Eliminates possibly of ‘negative’ coalition

Term
Snap Election
Definition

an election called ahead of schedule in parliamentary systems

Term
Bundestag
Definition

 

-Parliament of Germany

-Lower house; directly elected

-almost always serves its full 4 year term because it’s nearly impossible for Chancellor to call a snap election

 

Term
Bi-Cameral Parliamant
Definition

Upper House: Bundesrat (indirect)

Lower House: Bundestag (direct)

Term
Direct Election
Definition

citizens/voters directly cast ballots for individuals or parties to fill specific elected offices

Term
Indirect Election
Definition

voters cast ballots to elect some form of assembly which then in turn chooses an individual to fill a particular roles

Term
Bundesrat
Definition

 


Representative Body of the Regional States

Upper house; indirectly elected

Represents states each state government appoints 3-6 delegates (total 68), usually members of state-level cabinets

        1. State delegates are required to vote together as a single bloc

        2. Important/powerful body, considered co-equal of lower house of any matter directly affecting state interest (2/3 of all bills)

          • On purely ‘federal’ (i.e. ‘national’) bills can only exercise suspensive powers


 

 

Term
Federal Government: President
Definition
President is elected by special Federal Convention of all Bundestag and equal number of State Legislators, serves as head of state
Term
Chancellor (Bundeskanzler)
Definition

  1.  
      1. Head of the dominant party in lower house, chosen by a majority vote in that chamber---German Chancellor has certain limitation and protections

      2. Limitations

        1. Federalism System: Central government (headed by Chancellor) must share power with states.

        2. Constitutional Court: Unlike Britain, Chancellor’s acts are subject to judicial review by Constitutional Court

Term
Appellate Court
Definition

A court empowered to hear appeals made by lower court (like the US Supreme Court)

Term
Overhang Seats
Definition

 Additional seats added to Bundestag(lower house) if the number of a party's district winners exceeds its 'quota'

Term
Post-Materialist Ideology
Definition

a focus more on non-economic or ‘quality of life’ issues, like social justice, environment, etc.

Term
Grand Coalition
Definition

 the two largest parties form a coalition government  

Term
Policy Paralysis
Definition

Governing coalition can only survive by avoiding major reforms or initiatives  

Term
Long Term Destabilization
Definition

Major party support is undermined

Term
Social Market Economy
Definition

 an economic model which combines the competition between private actors inherent in free markets with heavy regulation and redistribution characteristic of welfare states

Term

Austerity Plan

Definition

policy of sharp reductions in state spending  

Term
Vested Interests
Definition

 an interest that is subjectively important and the perceived personal consequences are significant

Term
Alternative Models
Definition

Liberalism

Mercantilism

Communism

Social Democracy

 

Term
Two Types of Cabinet Role Definition
Definition

  1.  
    1.  
      1.  
        1. Functional Role

Cabinet Members act as representatives of their ministry to the executive

  1.  
    1.  
      1.  
        1.  
          • Political Role

Cabinet members act as agents of the executive to the bureaucracy

Term
Constitutional Court
Definition

  1.  
    1.  

      1. The only power of the court is that of judicial review; it does not serve as an appellate Court

        1.  

             

      2. Sixteen justices, chosen by parliament (eight from each house)

        1. Justices serve 12-year term system and must retire at age 68

Term
Sub-national Government--- Länder (states, plural)
Definition

 

  1.  
    1. Sub-national Government--- Länder (states, plural)

      1. Germany has 16 Länd or states

        1. Each has it’s own parliament (Ländtag), which is directly elected

        2. States have a significant degree of autonomy; control over Internal affairs

      2. SIGNIFICANT because of the political history of Germany

 

Term
Oversight
Definition
scrutiny of the programs and performance of one branch of government by another branch
Term
Legislative Function
Definition
having specialized committees with expert staff narrows 'expertise gap' between BT and bureaucracy
Term
Electoral System: Bundestag
Definition

  1.  
      1. The percent of the party list vote determines the total number of seats that each party will getSets the party quota

      2. These seats are first filled by ALL district winners (i.e. individual candidates) then by party list, (in descending order)

        1.  
          • Party quota is set by PR aspect and the winners of the SMDP stage are the ones to fill this party quota seats

All district winners (i.e. individual candidates) automatically win their seat

  1.  
    1.  
      1.  
        1. If the number of a party’s district winners exceeds it’s ‘quota’, additional seats are added for that secession of the bundestag

        2. Number of delegates in the session contingent on the election

Term
Threshold Clause
Definition

 

In order to be eligible for their ‘quota’, a party must meet one of the following two conditions

Win more than 5% of the national vote

              1. Win at least 3 individual district seats

 

Term
Long Term Problems with Neo-corporatism
Definition

Weakens representative institutions

 

Restricts participation

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