Bundesrat - council of representatives from each Lander
Basic Laws - parties needed at least 5% of the vote to gain a seat in the Bundestag
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Adenauer's domestic policies
Economic miracle 1950s
FRG was 3rd largest economy in Europe within 10 years
income >ed 400%
unemployment
Social market economy
Ludwig Erhard
allowed free markets
almost full unemployment 1950s
Codetermination 1951
trade union representation on corparate boards
worker given representation at managerial level
5 day week
reduced industrial unrest
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Domestic policies
Allowed guest workers - cheap to employ & provided labour
Equalisation of Burdens Act 1952
taxes levies on rich
financed settlement of 10 million refugees
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Reasons for Adenauer's longevity
Chancellor for 14 years
1957 - CDU was1st party to have overall majority
Promised stability - promised 'no experiments'
improved the economy - economic miracle
appealed to all christians not just catholics
opposition to the Cold War - secured release of political prisoners in USSR in 1955
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Causes of the Economic miracle
Marshall Aid 1947
1948 currency reforms - controled inflation
1950 Korean war - demand for steel - output doubled
guest workers - more labour for less money
codetermination - less strikes
hard working West Germans
Social market economy - allow free markets
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Foreign policy
Hallestien Doctrine - FRG would not have relations with countries who recognised the GDR - made reunification impossible
NATO
European Defense Organsiation formed
USA turns this into North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Germany allowed to join in 1955
requires them to remilitarise
Remilitarisation
compulsary military service introduced 1955
Bundeswher created - people's army
1961 - 350,000 soldiers
Acceptance of international control of the Ruhr 1949
wanted to reduce concern of neighbouring countries
annoyed Bundestag
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Foreign policy
Joins European Coal and Steel Commitee 1951
created at Treaty of Paris 1951
became the European Economic Committee
1954 - Allied High Commision disbanded
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Reasons for Adenauer's Resignation
Reintergration of Nazis
131 laws 1951 - allowed Nazis to be employed in civil service
Minister of Refugees Hans Kruger was an ex-Nazi and was accused of war crimes
Der Speigel Affiair - did not stop the arrest of journalists for publishing an article criticising the Bundeswehr - people worried about reemergence of Nazism
Didn't visit Berlin Wall for 9 days - asked to promise to resign in 2 years
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