Whither the State?

For analyzing power in combination with affects of globalization I chose to research German.  The history of this country is tainted by its past, but nonetheless has become an integral part of the global community.  While researching the fluctuation of power within the Germany state, there are multiple occurance of power shift.  The change in power can be demonstrated by the power distribution of different political systems utilized in Germany, or the consequences of joining the European Union.

At present Germany has been on top, while other countries are struggle during the economic crisis; this was not always the case.  In the past the German regime was not as strong as it is today.  Prior to the spread of globalization, which imposed an extensive degree of international pressure, the German empire had a functioning regime (Hauss & Haussman 145). The pressures of globalization continued into the 20^th century.  The negative consequences of globalization can be demonstrated by the global communities treatment of Germany at the conclusion of WWI (144).   The reparation payments that the German state was forced to pay, only further crumbled the states power.  Another example of how globalization can be linked to the failure of the state is represented by the German’s role in the EU.  This structure unifies numerous European states, where some countries benefits and others suffer.  The interdependence of countries in the EU has weakened the German state, because their economic wealth is now being distributed amongst failing countries, such as Greece (Osborne 1).

Although globalization has hindered the German regime at times there are also examples of the state assert its own power over the forces of globalization.    WWII is prime example of state independence.  The German regime broke away from the global pressures imposed after WWI and worked on nation building; which resulted in the states ability to separate from the forces of globalization.  This attempt to assert power did not end successfully.  Finally globalization is what rebuilt Germany into the prosperous state it is today.

In conclusion, from these observation I think it is important for the state to be abled to assert is own independence, however remain a component of the international community.  As time proceeds, resources are becoming limited and the necessity to help and be helped is becoming more important.

Experiences From Beyond the Wall

Approaching this guest lecture I attempted to prepare myself by completing a couple of the post-communism quests, as well as reading up on different aspects of the exchange between fascism and communism in the Eastern Bloc.  Although I felt prepared going into this class, I now feel as though you cannot truly understand the life under totalitarianism unless you were present during those times.  This guest lecture allowed for growth on the subject of post-communist experience that I would otherwise not have.

In general I assumed that I knew quite a bit about the happenings in Eastern Europe, after all we have been learning about Stalin, Hitler, Lenin, etc. since middle school.  However emphasis is never given to the emotions of the people.  You learn about how the people starved, how they were afraid, but never hear the experience described as “boring, cold, and dark”. 

I do not believe that I gained further knowledge of structure of the communist political, but I did find some aspects interesting. First of all, I had always assumed it would much more difficult to depart the country. It was also interesting to hear about her struggle whether or not to return to Romania for her family.

In conclusion, I am very grateful for having this experience.  I knew that the situation was bad, but to see the everlasting effects on someone who left 40 years ago is very moving.  Thus far, I can say without a doubt that this was my favorite part of the course.  

Picking Your Tools

Partners: Jamie Bereti-Legere and Dana Johnston

Research Question:  What causes revolution?

·         Using the list made from the quest “Isolating Variables”

Methods:

•  Most Different System Design, because the outcome will always be identical; a revolution.  However, the factors leading up to the revolution may not always be the same. 
• Most Similar System Design could also be used, because a lot of the factors that contribute to revolution are similar, where as the outcome of the revolution may vary between countries.
• Choosing a sample size is difficult because the number of countries that have experienced a revolution are limited.  This means that selecting case studies are a more realistic method of analyzing revolution.
•  In countries that we used as case studies surveys could be used to determine the variables, which contributed to occurance of revolution.  In this case a large sample size, and the use of statistics would be useful for gaining a broad and valid insight.  In depth interviews would be to time consuming, especially in countries like Russia and China where there’s a large population.  Prior to giving out the surveys, measures such doing a test run in combination with statistics to prevent bias.
• Revolution can be dangerous, or are in the past therefore observing a revolution unfold is really unrealistic.   However observing the aftermath could contribute to the understanding the results of a revolution, which can broaden our understanding

After analyzing all the potential research methods, we have decided to use these tools:

1.       Case Study (Russia, China, Cuba, and the Arab spring)
2.       Most similar system design (could also aid in developing questions for the survey)
3.       Large sample size in combination with surveys (the sample must be from individuals present at the time of the revolution)
4.            Statistics to analyze the results of the surveys.

In terms of reliability, our study is fairly scientific because of the statistical component of our research. In combination with our large sample size we can accurately pin point the variables that lead to a revolution by doing the surveys. This allows for a broader range of peoples experiences to be taken into account. As sample size decreases so does reliability of the research design. Furthermore, we must assure that our survey questions are free of biased in terms of the factors we think contribute to revolution. Bias can decrease validity and reliability of our research.  Analyzing the response of the surveys using statistics can aid in preventing bias and increasing reliability of the study. In terms of validity, our research design is weakened by the survey, because the questions of the survey can hinder the experiences of individuals.  Also, the use of multiple case studies makes our design more valid, because it is technically considered as a smaller sample size.  This small sample size enables us to evaluate the specific variables contributing to revolution.

In conclusion, based on our research design, we believe that the causes of revolution can be accurately determined.

Democratization of Germany

The democratization of Germany can be attributed to multiple factors:

The occupation of Allied forces, primarily France, the United Kingdom, and the United States was the greatest contributor to democratization.  The mistakes made by the Allies after WWI, were not repeated.  Instead, these forces provided an extensive array of external support from creating a constitution (the Basic Law) to providing the financial means to rebuild Germany.  The occupation was undoubtably the most important factor to the democratization of Germany, because they also implemented methods to maintain democracy, and hinder the redevelopment of totalitarianism.

Another powerful contributor to the German democratization is the strength and efficiency of the chancellor.  Konrad Adenauer, was elected by the people (even though voter turn out was low) and was supported by the Allies.  His experience from the failed Weimar Republic, enabled him to utilize his power to facilitate the growth of civic culture and provide economic stability.  This was ranked second, because without strong leadership of Adenauer, democratization may not have been possible.  He was a symbol of hope for the people at a time where all hope was lost.

After the collapse of Hitler’s regime, preceding WWII, most people had abandoned the German government, fearing the redevelopment of another failed regime. This fear, allowed for the development of democracy in Germany, because it was apparent that most people were not supportive of Hitler’s rule.  However many German’s still welcomed the idea of authoritarian rule, the fear prevented those ideas from being implemented in the new regime.  I rated this third because it was important for the new democratic government to prove to the people how Germany could be improved as well as facilitate the wants and needs of the people.  The fear also ensured that the reoccurance of past failures would not return.

Unlike most countries that have undergone democratization, not many have had the opportunity of learning from a failed democracy, or the consequences of authoritarian rule.  These failures assisted the rebuilding of a new democratic government.  I rated this last because other countries have undergone democratization without this, however this point is still important because it made the transition easier.

All these factors have contributed to the Germany we see today.

Go Green!

The protection of the environment has become a significant part of day-to-day life all around the world.  This movement was initiated by realization of the negative consequences of human activity – such as the many chemicals we are omitting into the atmosphere.   The concern for the future of the planet has been driven by today’s youth as well as educated individuals, who hope that attention to the issue will ensure a future for our species. 

This social movement has transformed into a way of life.  The implementation of a Green Party is common in most multiparty systems.  The success of the Green Party in many countries has been limited, however the Green Party in Germany has triumphed beyond any other Green Party around the world.

            Many components of the German political culture have contributed to the success of the German Green Party.  The Green Party’s stance on antiwar and their focus on sustaining the future attracted a substantial amount of voter support.  This support combined with Germany’s implementation of the mixed-proportional electoral system facilitated the Green Party’s entrance into parliament (De Pommereau  2). 

            Achieving seats in parliament was only the initial struggle for the German Green Party.  The Greens now needed to focus on sustaining the party’s support and expanding.  According to The Wallstreet Journal, the Green Party’s gradual movement away from the extreme left has allowed for more voters to identify with the party’s platform, even stealing seats from the CDP.   The failures of the current German government (the CDP), has only enhanced the progress of the Greens.  In situations such as the use and expansion of nuclear energy promoted by the CDP government has allowed the Green Party to grasp more support (Hawley 1).

            Is the Green Party a passing fad?  I think not.  Since the parties initial success in the 1960s, the Green Party has drastically influenced German political culture.  Environmentalism has now become a component integral part of the German economy.  The county’s extensive investments in the production and discovery of renewable resources, particularly solar energy, have ensured the survival of environmentalism (De Pommereau 1).  The progress of environmentalism only suggests that the Green Party will only continue to flourish, at least for the foreseeable future.