Germany: The answer to an old Question

Essay submitted by Unknown

Thesis: This paper will argue that Germany needs to secure itself as both the

economic and political hegemon of Europe inside of the European Union; until its

present condition and effectiveness in the global politics changes, instability in

the European Union, as well as, basic fear of will always be present.

I. Introduction

II. Historical Perspective-The two negative factors

A. Fear - twice in one century

1) Bismarck/Frederick II

2) Hitler

B. Foolishness

1) WWI

2) WWII

III. Reunification - The Key

A. Economic realities

1) E. Germany's status

2) Infrastructure

B. The significance of one Germany

1) Future

2) Politics

IV. European Union-The means to and end

A. European "check and balance system"

1) Hope for the future

2) Provisions for success

B. The answer to a disturbing question

1) Can Germany be strong and peaceful?

2) France and England

V. Conclusion

The formation of a state can be both a beautiful and terrifying event . As a national

you now have a home and place to live with people of a common culture and heritage,

an identity. If you are a founder of the new state, there would be a sense of

accomplishment of having achieved the fulfillment of a lifetime goal. Other states which

deemed this new state as legitimate and recognized it as a self-determined equal, have

created a potential ally or enemy. The downside, the premature recognition and the

actual struggle for that status, usually entails conflict, loss of life, revolution and even

war.

A state was formed and recognized in 1871 in the center of Europe. This event has had

an enormous impact since its inception. It has been both the salvation of Europe

through economic depressions and hard times, as well as, the cause for two world wars

and the near decimation of Europe. Its people have been back and forth between rags

and riches, democracy and dictatorships, united, broken and then reunited. This state

is known as Germany.

Modern Germany has been reunified after almost 50 years of separation during the cold

war. Once again German power and influence is on the rise. The world watches

because Germany has not been able to successfully retain both total sovereignty over

its territory and be an economic world power, for a substantial period of time; without

plunging the world into an unavoidable conflict. The question of Germany and its

position in world politics is one which has plagued statesmen since Germany's formation.

This paper will argue that the answer lies within the state. Germany needs to secure

itself as both the economic and political hegemon of Europe under the auspices of the

European Union. Furthermore, until Germany's present condition and effectiveness in

global politics changes, the instability in the European Union will continue, as well as,

the persistent German question..

Twice in history Germany has risen from disorder and weakness to stand strong and

belligerent upsetting the existing world order. Can there be any question of why the

world views Germany suspiciously? In 1914, German expansionism and short-sighted

diplomacy paved the way toward an inevitable war. Germany moved from Bismarkian

Diplomacy which maintained the "status quo" in Europe and abroad, to an aggressive

militaristic imperialism which desired redistribution of global territory. A large naval fleet

was built second only to the Royal navy (Britain) as well as a massive increase in

military hardware production. By 1913 Germany replaced Britain as the main

manufacturing European power. This fact reinforced by the aggressive nature shown in

German foreign policy obviously was not in the interest of maintaining any sort of

status quo.

The situation was far from being solved. Though Germany was defeated was placed at

the mercies of the other victorious world powers, which were determined not have the

scenario of 1914 happen again. Unfortunately, a similar situation did develop once again

with Germany in the center. By 1938 Germany had rearmed and was aggressively

expanding both its physical and economic boarders. Adolf Hitler saw the opportunities

which a weak Europe armed with the ideas of appeasement as a deterrent for military

aggression presented to Germany.

These two historical occasions promoted a general distrust of a strong united Germany.

Both times in history after the conclusions of the wars Germany was used for its large

production capabilities and natural resources. The first time was to pay back large war

debt acquired by Britain and France. The second was during the cold war and Germany

was split between the two super powers. Thus, the development of the German

question or problem.

Reunification was possible because of a few factors. The largest was the collapse of

the Soviet Union which is also the most obvious. This is true due to the fact that the

occupied eastern region of Germany by the Soviet army was relinquished. The second

was that West Germany had been so economically successful that the massive

investments needed for updating East German industry, infrastructure and economy

was available. The third was the existence and strength of the European Community.

The collapse of the Soviet empire freed of East Germany and gave it its independence.

The Soviets also hold vivid memories of the two times Germany rose to the status of a

world power. Both times the Germans invaded and pushed deep into Russian territory,

the last thing the Soviets wanted was a unified German. However, the Soviet economy

weak and collapsing was unable to retain its occupation and relinquished control in

1989.

The merger between East and West Germany, in 1990, has not been easy, to say the

least. Germany faces three major problems concerning unification. The first of these

dilemmas is unemployment. Only 56% of East Germany's 16 million population was

employed prior to reunification. East German government which employed 2.2 million has

now been reduced to 1.2 million. Manufacturing employment dropped from 3.2 million to

approximately between 800,000 and 1.4 million. These are grim statistics, however, this

produces an opportunity to devise new methods of retraining and experiment with

part-time employment projects.

The second problem facing Germany is the enormous expense of upgrading the shabby

infrastructure which is in the east. The infrastructure includes roads, railroads,

telecommunications, public service, public educational systems and the postal service.

This gives Germany the chance to integrate technology and new organizational systems

which will bring the east to or even surpass existing standards located in the west.

Thirdly, is the environmental problems which are located in the east after decades of

neglect. The deplorable conditions of the east are going to prove to be quite a

challenge both in practice and economically. East German officials disclosed that its

industry has the highest sulphur dioxide per capita producer in the world, 5.2 million

tons a year. There also exists over 15,000 identified toxic waste dumps. Approximately

70% of existing East German industry fails to meet the West German environmental

laws.

Despite the severity of these very expensive dilemmas, reunification needed to take

place for the benefit both Germany and Europe. Now with the added 16 million people,

the increase of physical size Germany, the situation in Eastern Europe and the

existence of the European Union there has never been a better time for Europe.

Possessing the resources, economies, population and production of practically the

entire continent of Europe, the E.U. is in a very strong position globally.

The European Union is the organization which has been absent in the past to act as a

European systems diagnostic. It allows the member states to exist independently and

interdependently, keeping them in check not allowing for unwarranted forms of

imperialism and predatorial power politics. It creates a much needed form of a "check

and balance" system, which is empowered by functionalism. Functionalism, in relation to

politics, is defined as the states actions in surrendering some authority which would

normally rest in the hands of a sovereign state to a supranational institution. Germany

has locked itself into an agreement which allows member states to build their industries,

maximize their power, expand economically and play politics without creating extreme

political strife and eventual war with neighboring countries. For Germany "the E.U. is an

almost desperately needed vehicle and instrument for German policy, internationally and

at home. They can do more as a member than going out on their own... Germany wants

a strong, properly integrated E.U." This quote establishes the idea for Europe, who is

extremely weary of the newly reunited state, and Germany; that the E.U. is a

necessary institution for peaceful coexistence.

The European Union also sets a stage for Germany to rise to a position of the economic

leader in Europe without exercising the past forms of militaristic expansionism. In the

recent and almost disastrous time for the E.U. the ratification of Maastricht, the social

problems of Union surfaced first in Denmark. The Danish making it absolutely clear that

they are tired of Germans renting property along the Danish coast and how happy they

were that Denmark beat Germany in a soccer championship match is fine. But to turn

down the treaty that could bring lasting security to Europe for an extend time period is

a tad short-sighted. Realizing the alternative that they could be engulfed beneath a

third expansionistic military regime creates room for the questioning the wisdom of such

a rejection of the proposed referendum. Granted, to say that this is the only alternative

is indeed a stretch, however, the point is that the deepening of the E.U. is of absolute

importance, whether it be by Maastricht or another means. As Germany grows in

stature, the Germans are bound to feel that their role is changing, especially with the

developments in Eastern Europe and beyond. These developments have created a

power vacuum through which Germany will naturally feel the need to lead in

"safe-guarding" order. It is the nature of politics to say that as German power grows so

will German influence, the only peaceful alternative and answer to the German question

is the E.U. Only, that is, if the E.U. remains elastic to always contain but not hinder the

growth of its members, especially Germany.

This brings the argument to ask the question of whether there can be a European

Germany or only a German Europe? This asks if Germany can be successfully and

"properly" integrated with the rest of Europe. This is a nonsensical question which is

self defeating. Are the Germans some sort of special breed of humanity which make

them inherently above the law? Alfred Baring, a German Historian, is referred to as

accusing his "fellow citizen of a laxness bordering on irresponsible." Stating that,

"Germans have been political lightweights for forty years and want to stay that way."

Continuing that, "Germany has been living in an idyllic situation in which it has not had

to challenge itself and think of its role in Europe." Germany is as much of a part of

Europe as France or Italy. Each nation-state has a position and a role to play in the

E.U.. To discard Germany as being overbearing and dominant, placing it on the shelf will

simply not work. Giving Germany a monopoly on political an economic policy making is

also foolish. This argument is not about creating a fourth German empire. Germany has

a role to fill in Europe, fear and paranoia should not be allowed to dictate how it is

accomplished.

"A strong, properly integrated European Union" is possible with Germany. The word

"strong" is an attribute of which Germany has been all to familiar with. History is full of

examples, some previously stated in this paper, of a Europe integrated through

strength. However, "properly" is the key word in Euro-integration. Nietzsche, in his work

"Beyond Good and Evil" addresses this matter. He states, "I hear with pleasure that our

sun is moving rapidly in the direction of the constellation of Hercules: and I hope that

men on earth in this matter emulate the sun. And we at their head [italics mine], we

are good Europeans!" This is an analogy speaking of the movement of politics and

power shifts in the late 1800's towards Germany, in the perspective of a German

philosopher. He believed that Germans were unique to the rest of the populous of

Europe. Unfortunately, this philosophical notion has been altered and used for rather

devious measures. Adolf Hitler is the best example of this. Germans are unique as are all

races in and outside of Europe. However, Nietchzsche saw that perhaps the German

people possessed a quality not of superiority, as the "Uber Mensch"; but rather

analogically speaking of the Germans in Europe as a whole. That "properly integrated"

means a strong Germany both economically and politically, not hiding behind checkbook

or its constitution.

Thus, after over 120 years Germany has seen mush change and German power is on

the rise again. This paper has illustrated the past struggles of Germany which has

affected the world. The reach for power by attempting to establish an empire under the

Kaiser and the militaristic expansionism shown by Adolf Hitler both ended in conflict

bring the world to war and Germany to its knees. The new battle Germany faces is the

reunification process, Eastern Europe and the European Union. All of these three

factors are crucial in the future of Germany. As argued in this paper Germany needs to

establish itself as a stable and reliable support for Europe under the auspices of the

European Union. The success of the European Union and the economic development of

Eastern Europe are in direct relation and dependant on that event.

Bibliography

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Michael Ignatieff, Blood And Belonging: Journeys into the New Nationalism, ( New

York, N.Y.: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1983), p. 57.

Friedrich Nietzche, Beyond Good andEvil, trans. R.J.Hollingdale (London: Penguin

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