Crisis of Unification: How Germany Changes

Abstract

Germany has changed more in last four years than it has in last four decades. The East German revolution has been part of a cycle of interrelated revolutions that dramatically changed Eastern and Central Europe. East Germany's geopolitical situation and advanced industrialization helped ruling Communist Party elite to integrate large parts of population and to avoid reforms. German unification was enacted on basis of Article 23. The constitutional order of West Germany was extended to East. West German institutions have spread to East but they have barely taken root in population. Public opinion surveys have discovered typical differences between East German and West German attitudes. Easterners seem to expect more from the state in terms of securing economic growth, stabilizing prices, and guaranteeing employment. East Germans are less likely to identify with political parties and party democracy, and are more sympathetic towards plebiscitary or grass-roots democracy.