Description
Book SynopsisThe unification of Germany as a prelude to the end of the division of Europe and the termination of the Cold War came as a surprise to the whole world. It was the beginning of a new era in German and European history. The Price of German Unity is the first full-scale analysis of this process, both domestically and in its wider international context, with a particular focus on the social-policy consequences. Gerhard A. Ritter uses a wide range of hitherto inaccessible sources to describe and analyse the dynamics of reunification, including archives from the Chancellor''s Office, and the relevant ministries and major parties of both the Federal Republic and the GDR, as well as private papers of leading actors on both sides and a wealth of interview material. As the book convincingly demonstrates, the wholesale transfer of the social system of the Federal Republic of Germany to the territory of the former GDR and the huge drain of economic resources from West to East that this involved, profoundly affected the economic and political framework of the new Germany and greatly intensified the latent crisis of the German welfare state.
Trade Reviewessential reading for those interested in the recent history of Germany. It also makes an important contribution to the debate about the viability of 'welfare states' in Europe at a time when they are threatened by deregulation, ageing populations and new patterns of work. * A.J. Nicholls, English Historical Review *
Table of ContentsPreface ; Introduction ; PART I: GERMAN UNITY: THE FRAMEWORK ; 1. The political framework ; 2. German unity and social policy: the legal framework ; 3. The German economy and the process of unification ; 4. The social structure and expectations from social policy ; PART II: THE CREATION OF THE SOCIAL UNION ; 5. The central features of the social union; the legislation and institutions governing social policy in the Federal Republic and the GDR compared ; 6. The social policy of the Modrow government ; 7. The State Treaty on monetary, economic and social union ; 8. The social legislation of the de Maiziere government ; 9. The Unification Treaty ; 10. The social policy actors and the unification process ; PART III: CHANGES TO THE GERMAN WELFARE STATE AFTER GERMAN UNIFICATION, 1990-1994 ; 11. The build-up of welfare-state institutions and providers in the new Bundeslander ; 12. The debates on Germany's economic position and on the problems in financial and social policy resulting from German unity ; 13. Social policy and its actors, 1991-1994 ; Concluding reflections ; Appendix ; Notes ; Sources and bibliography ; Glossary of terms and abbreviations ; The principal actors in the process of German unification ; Index
