The Making of the German Post-War Economy: Political Communication and Public Reception of the Social Market Economy After World War Two (International Library of Twentieth Century History)

The economic regeneration and post-war reconstruction of West Germany is one of the most remarkable success stories of the 20th century. However, little is known about the processes and debates that fuelled this era of extraordinary change and upheaval. Christian Glossner here explores the events and individuals of this period, tracing the development of economic and socio-political ideas and their gradual absorption by mainstream politicians, officials and the general public during the period of transition between 1945 and 1949. In the process, he reveals the dynamic interplay between political parties and the electorate during the process of economic liberalisation that was to result in the Social Market Economy prevailing as the socio-political and economic model for the new Federal Republic of Germany. The years following the end of World War II in Germany were a significant period of change and upheaval. This book on the economic reconstruction of post-war West Germany traces the development of economic and socio-political ideas, and their gradual absorption by mainstream politicians, officials and the general public during the period of transition between 1945 and 1949. In the aftermath of World War II, several German think-tanks, political parties and individuals gave impulse to and then shaped the development of a viable socio-political and economic model between the extremes of laissez-faire capitalism and the collectivist planned economy. In their endeavours to bring into effect their particular economic ideas - often diametrically opposed to one another - the parties of left and right stimulated not only academic and political debate, but also public debate about the political and economic reconstruction of occupied post-war Germany. While all the various neo-liberal approaches assigned to the people sovereign and decisive status in the institutional economic order, and recognised the interdependence of politics, economics and the public, one particular school of economic thought outpaced the others in communicating a model of coordinated economic and social policy, namely the Social Market Economy. Christian Glossner here investigates whether or not it was primarily the subtlety of the political campaign for this model that led to its implementation by the then Economic Council and eventual validation by the German electorate. The programmes published by the principal academic and political groups of the time and the practical day-to-day decisions of the first parliament in post-war Germany are analysed with reference to popular preferences. By examining both the formative involvement of German parties in post-war reconstruction and the role of the public during the process of economic liberalisation, this book provides explanations for why the Social Market Economy prevailed as the socio-political and economic model for the Federal Republic of Germany. It will be of interest to scholars of German, economic and twentieth-century history. Contents......Page 8 List of Tables......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 12 Chronology......Page 18 Acknowledgements......Page 24 Preface......Page 26 Introduction......Page 28 Part I. Conception and Communication......Page 35 1. Academic Concepts Between Neo-Liberalism and Neo-Socialism......Page 56 1.1. The Freiburg Circles and Neo-Liberalism......Page 58 1.2. The Freiburg School and Ordo-Liberalism......Page 66 1.3. The Cologne School and Social Market Economics......Page 74 2. Political Considerations Between Programmatic Intention and Pragmatic Imperative......Page 88 2.1. The Social Democratic Party and Liberal Socialism......Page 90 2.2. The Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union and Social Liberalism......Page 107 Part II. Politics and Public Opinion......Page 135 3. 1945/1946 - Stupor and Search for Direction......Page 143 4. 1947 - Disillusion and Disappointment......Page 148 5. 1948 - Aspiration and Apprehension......Page 154 6. 1949 - Contentment and Confidence......Page 165 Conclusion......Page 175 Appendices......Page 179 Notes......Page 208 Bibliography......Page 268 Index......Page 312 The economic regeneration and post-war reconstruction of West Germany is one of the most remarkable success stories of the 20th century. This book explores the events and individuals of this period, tracing the development of economic and socio-political ideas and their gradual absorption by mainstream politicians, officials and the public. Christian L. Glossner. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [241]-284) And Index.