The Political System of Germany

ISBN-13: 9783031324796 / Angielski

Florian Grotz; Wolfgang Schroeder

Spis treści

Preface

1.      The Political System of the Federal Republic of Germany: Analytical and Historical Foundations

1.1.       Analytical Framework: The Political System between Majoritarian and Consensus Democracy

1.2.       The Context: Starting Conditions and Historical Development of the Federal Republic

1.3.       The Book’s Outline

 

Abstract: The introductory chapter presents the analytical and historical foundations which we use in this textbook to explore the structures and processes of the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. We explain our understanding of a democratic system of government and how political will formation and decision-making is organized within this system. We then reconstruct the major phases in the development of the Federal Republic with regard to its social, economic and international context. Finally, we present an overview of the structural characteristics of the German system of government.

 

2.      The Basic Law: The Constitutional Framework

2.1.       Between Provisional Arrangement and Complete Constitution: The Formation of the Basic Law

2.2.       Structure and Development of the Basic Law

2.3.       The Basic Law between Länder Constitutions and European Law

2.4.       Flexible or Rigid Constitution?

 

Abstract: The Basic Law is the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. Conceived in 1949 as a provisional arrangement, it still forms the constitutional foundation of German democracy. To what extent has the Basic Law proven to be a constitutional framework fostering political stability and flexibility?

 

3.      The European Union: The Supranational Framework

3.1.       Gradual Integration: The Evolution of the European Constitutional Order

3.2.       The Political System of the EU: Elements of a Multi-level Democracy

3.3.       The Europeanization of German Politics: Policy Shaping and Implementation

3.4.       Expansion or Constrains of Democratic Governance?

 

Abstract: This chapter describes the European constitutional and political framework in which the German democracy is embedded. It demonstrates to what extent the EU restricts domestic policy-making and also explains how the EU expands the room for maneuver of the democratically legitimized actors. Finally, it discusses different reform options which could improve democratic governance in the European multi-level system.

 

4.      Bund and Länder: Cooperative Federalism

4.1.       The Federal Order: Distribution of Powers and Fiscal Federalism

4.2.       Federal Governance between Interlocked Decision-Making and Structural Dynamics

4.3.       Horizontal Cooperation between the Länder

4.4.       Functional or Immobile State Organization?

 

Abstract: Federalism is a structural principle of the Basic Law. Bund (federal level) and Länder (states) cooperate in most policy areas. Does German federalism constitute a functional framework for democratic governance or an immobile state organization which needs fundamental change?

 

5.      Elections and the Electoral System: The Foundation of Representative Democracy

5.1.       Electoral Law and Electoral System

5.2.       Federal Elections: Determinants of Voting Behavior

5.3.       Parliamentary Elections in the Multi-level System

5.4.       Proportional and Concentrated Representation?

 

Abstract: Elections are the institutional core of representative democracy. Central to the chapter is the question to what extent parliamentary elections in Germany contribute to an adequate political representation of citizens.

 

6.      Parties and Party System: The Organizational Core of Representative Democracy

6.1.       Political Parties: Legal Foundations and Organizational Framework

6.2.       The Federal Party System: Structure and Development

6.3.       German Parties in the European Multi-level System

6.4.       Inclusive and Effective Interest Mediation?

 

Abstract: Political parties are the organizational core of representative democracy. The chapter explains to what extent the parties in Germany succeed in integrating the multitude of societal interests into the democratic decision-making process while, simultaneously, shaping government policies efficiently.

 

7.      Interest Groups: Representation of Sectoral Interests

7.1.       Interest Groups: Legal Foundations and Internal Organization

7.2.       Lobbying, Pluralism and Corporatism: Striving for Political Influence

7.3.       Organized Interests in the European Multi-level System

7.4.       Pillar of Democratic Governance or Threat to the Common Good?

 

Abstract: What role do interest groups play in the German political system: Do they promote its functionality through their integrative power, or do they endanger the common good by pursuing their self-interests? The chapter provides an overview of the diversity of interest groups in Germany and describes their internal structures. The concept of lobbying as well as the distinction between pluralism and corporatism are central when characterizing the modes of political influence by organized interests and the relationship between interest groups and the government.

 

8.      Media and Media System: Establishing the Public Sphere

8.1.       Mass Media: Organizational Structures and Legal Regulation

8.2.       Media and Politics: A Complex Relationship

8.3.       German Media and European Integration

8.4.       Pluralistic and Autonomous Media in the Digital Age?

 

Abstract: Mass media are indispensable for democratic governance because they set up the public sphere and control and oversee the political process and political actors. The chapter explains how the German media system works in view of an increasingly polarized society and the growing importance of social media.

 

9.      The German Bundestag: The Legislator

9.1.       The Parliamentary System of Government

9.2.       The Internal Organization of the Bundestag

9.3.       The Political Performance of the Bundestag

9.4.       The Bundestag in the European Multi-level System

9.5.       “Heart of Democracy” or Marginalized Institution?

 

Abstract: The chapter explains how the Bundestag is embedded into the German system of parliamentary democracy. It then provides insights into the parliament’s internal organization by explaining the plenary and committee structure, the relationship between individual MPs and party groups as well as the parliament’s administration. The Bundestag’s performance is evaluated on the basis of a catalogue of four main functions and in light of Europeanization process.

 

10.   The Federal Government and the Federal President: The Dual Executive

10.1.        Chancellor, Cabinet and Ministries: The Institutional Framework and Organizational Structure of the Federal Government

10.2.        Governing between Chancellor Democracy and Coalition Management

10.3.        The Federal Government in the European Multi-level System

10.4.        The Federal President: Between Impartial Authority and Political Institution

10.5.        Balance of Executive Power and Integrating Capacity?

 

Abstract: The Federal Government (Bundesregierung), led by the Chancellor (Bundeskanzler), and the Federal President (Bundespräsident) constitute the executive branch of the German political system. The chapter focuses on the following questions: Does the Chancellor determine the guidelines of the government’s agenda as in majoritarian democracies – or is she rather a mediator and integrative figure as in consensus democracies? Is the Federal President an impartial head of state who ensures that the state’s practices conform to the rules, or does he hold a political office?

 

11.   The Bundesrat: The Federal Chamber

11.1.        Institutional Powers and Organizational Characteristics

11.2.        Policy-making between Länder Interests and Party Politics

11.3.        The Bundesrat in the European Multi-level System

11.4.        Effective Representation of Länder Interests or Obstructive Veto Player?

 

Abstract: Through the Bundesrat, the Länder governments participate in the federal and European decision-making process. Thereby, it forms an institutional counterweight to the Bundestag and the federal government and is a core element of consensus democracy. Does the Bundesrat guarantee an adequate representation of Länder interests and promote political effectiveness or does it obstruct federal governance?

 

12.   The Federal Constitutional Court: The Supreme Judicial Review

12.1.        Institutional Powers and Organizational Characteristics

12.2.        The FCC between Politicization and Judicialization

12.3.        Constitutional Review in the European Multi-level System

12.4.        Neutral Guardian or Politicized Court?

 

Abstract: The Federal Constitutional Court is the supreme institution of judicial review, as it interprets the Basic Law with ultimate binding effect. Thus, it restricts the parliamentary majority’s leeway and contributes to the consensual character of the German political system. Does the FCC preserve the constitutional foundations of German democracy as a neutral guardian or does it proactively influence political decision-making?

 

13.   Government and Politics in the Länder

13.1.        The German Länder: History and Society

13.2.        Political Institutions

13.3.        Politics and Governance

13.4.        The Länder in the European Multi-level System

13.5.        Homogeneous or Diverse Patterns of Democracy?

 

Abstract: The 16 German Länder have autonomous constitutional powers and can independently shape policies in their own realm. The chapter explains how the Länder systems of government combine specific features of majoritarian and consensus democracy, how their institutional settings differ from the federal level, and whether politics and governance in the Länder are characterized by homogeneity or diversity.

 

14.   Politics and Administration at the Local Level

14.1.        Municipalities in the German Federal State

14.2.        Political Participation and Decision-Making at the Local Level

14.3.        The Quadriga of Local Governance

14.4.        Local Interests in the Multi-level System

14.5.        Nucleus of Democracy or Crisis of Self-Government?

 

Abstract: Municipalities constitute the lowest level of the German political system. The chapter explains to what extent German municipalities succeed in combining inclusive political decision-making with effective local governance.

 

15.   Resilient Democracy? The German Political System under Scrutiny

15.1.        From Role Model towards Crisis of Democracy

15.2.        Between Path Dependency and Transformational Dynamics: Ten Theses on Democratic Performance

15.3.        What Does It Take to Strengthen Democratic Resilience?

 

Abstract: The concluding chapter focuses on the ability of the German political system to perform even under difficult conditions (resilience). Ten theses reflect on the current conditions of democratic governance between path dependency and transformational dynamics. Fundamental changes of the international and domestic environment require both institutional reforms and political action in order to make German democracy “crisis resilient”.

O autorze

Florian Grotz is Professor of Comparative Government at the Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg, Germany.

Wolfgang Schroeder is Professor of the Political System of Germany at the University of Kassel and Fellow at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), Germany.

Blurb

“Grotz and Schroeder’s book is an encompassing analysis of the German political system. In an unprecedented effort, it provides extensive information grounded in democratic theory, and provides a detailed account of multi-level governance in the largest EU member state. I whole-heartedly recommend it to students and scholars alike.”

—Arend Lijphart, University of California, San Diego, USA

 

 

“A comprehensive, theoretical informed guide to German politics. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the origins, performance, and challenges facing one of the world’s most important democracies.”

—Daniel Ziblatt, Harvard University, USA, and WZB Berlin, Germany and co-author How Democracies Die

 

 

“Far from being merely a factual guidebook to the German political system – though it also does that job as thoroughly as anyone could want – this is a thoughtful and theoretically driven account of how contemporary German democracy works, and the challenges it faces. Many readers will already have some knowledge of individual parts of this complex system, but to understand it fully one needs to know how all those parts interact – or occasionally fail to do so. To achieve this, one needs look no further than Grotz and Schroeder.”

—Colin Crouch, University of Warwick, UK, and External Scientific Member, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, Germany

This book offers a systematic, theory-based, and empirically grounded introduction to the political system of Germany. Compared to other textbooks on government and politics in Germany, it has two particular benefits. First, it analyzes the individual dimensions of the German political system from a uniform theoretical perspective based on the well-known distinction between majoritarian and consensus democracy. Second, it particularly explains how political decision-making in the multi-level system takes place, including the local, state, federal as well as EU levels. This way, the book provides a comprehensive, detailed, and clear picture of how German democracy is organized and how it works.

Florian Grotz is Professor of Comparative Government at the Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg, Germany.

Wolfgang Schroeder is Professor of the Political System of Germany at the University of Kassel and Fellow at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), Germany.