Since the beginning of modern nationhood, nationalism has been an important factor in building a nation. According to Ernest Gellner, “nations are the artefact of men’s convictions and loyalties and solidarities.” Nations are thus of big importance for people’s identity. After World War II, the notion of nationalism became a complicated concept for most Germans. One reason was that people who were nationalistic were condemned by others because of the horrible things done by the Hitler regime. Another complication with post-World War II German nationalism was the division of Germany itself. Due to that division, Germans with the same history and culture were divided by political boundaries. Gellner argues that this harms nationalism immensely. Yet most Germans did not see the division as a permanent condition. The East German attitude in this matter is especially interesting. Despite minor changes in opinion over time, the ordinary East German citizen felt that he or she was part of a single German nation. Actions taken by the East German government aimed at full independence and even isolation from West Germany. However, East Germans did not go along with this. They expressed their desire for a single German nation in many fields, one of them consumer culture. The population did not support the official policy of rejecting and ignoring West German and other products but wanted to be able to enjoy the Western lifestyle. This frustrated desire combined with the shortcomings of production and supply in the GDR was the final problem that, apart from the breakdown of the Soviet Union and the East German economy, led to the eventual collapse of the German Democratic Republic.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Historical Background
Status of Research
Analysis of the Factors for Reunification
Legal Issues
Political Issues
Economic and Social Issues
Events Leading to Reunification
East German Reactions to the Fall of the Wall
Perception of Reunification after the Year 2000
Conclusion
Research Objective and Core Themes
This thesis examines the role of frustrated consumerism as a critical, yet often overlooked, catalyst for the collapse of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the subsequent process of German reunification, arguing that the inability of the East German state to satisfy the material desires of its citizens undermined its legitimacy.
- The intersection of East German consumer discontent and political collapse.
- Comparison of material standards of living between the GDR and West Germany.
- The influence of Western media and consumer culture on East German public perception.
- The impact of the "Fundamentals Treaty" and domestic political pressure on the reunification process.
- The psychological and social aftermath of reunification in the new Bundesländer.
Excerpt from the Thesis
Economic and Social Issues
Yet, living standards were not the only factor that made East Germans feel uncomfortable and inferior to other Westerners. Most luxury goods were very limited and thus hard to obtain. The attempt to equip every household with common appliances such as TV sets, refrigerators and washing machines in some cases turned into a problem for the government. In the case of TV sets, the steadily growing existence of TV sets in East German households did raise the living standard but at the same time the TV was a medium which was used by the population to watch West German TV. Annette Kaminsky noted that “With every TV set that entered East German household the number of people who, every night, glanced over the Berlin Wall into the West and were introduced to West German norms through film, news and commercials which with life in East Germany was matched with, rose.” This exposure to West German lifestyle, norms, and customs did not help the East German leadership to increase its legitimacy. On the contrary, East German consumers constantly compared their goods to those available in West Germany.
The equipment of nearly every household with a TV set by 1890 was an accomplishment for the East German economy. Yet, these kinds of accomplishments were not followed by access to products such as cars or motorbikes. Here, the demand exceeded the supply in high numbers. That resulted in long lasting waiting times. In Consuming Germany in the Cold War David Crew points out that “the wait for a new car actually increased from an average of eight years in the 1970s to twelve years in the mid-1980s.” Crew also mentions the artificially high prices for cars. For a Trabant car one had to pay 12,000 marks and a Wartburg car cost 30,200 marks. When evaluating these prices, one always has to keep in mind that the average monthly income for an East German worker was approximately 800 marks. This was another factor for consumer frustration because, once again, consumers judged the supply of cars by West German standards which they knew were totally different.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the theoretical link between nationalism, identity, and the specific case of the divided German nation, introducing the hypothesis that consumer frustration was a decisive factor in the GDR's collapse.
Historical Background: Provides a context of the post-WWII division into four occupation zones and the divergent development paths of the two German states under different political and economic systems.
Status of Research: Reviews academic discourse on German division and reunification, highlighting the historical focus on political and economic factors while noting the neglect of consumerism.
Analysis of the Factors for Reunification: Synthesizes the various social, economic, and political pressures that overwhelmed the East German government leading up to 1989.
Legal Issues: Explores the constitutional foundations of both German states and how their conflicting legal stances on sovereignty and unity influenced diplomatic relations.
Political Issues: Analyzes the failures of the East German leadership to address the population's demands for higher standards of living and political transparency.
Economic and Social Issues: Details the specific material deficiencies in the GDR and the role of television in broadcasting the perceived superiority of Western consumer goods.
Events Leading to Reunification: Tracks the timeline of the late 1980s, including the role of mass demonstrations and the opening of borders.
East German Reactions to the Fall of the Wall: Discusses the mixed sentiments among East Germans post-1989, including economic insecurity and the realization of differences in the new unified state.
Perception of Reunification after the Year 2000: Examines public opinion in the new millennium regarding the success of reunification and the persistence of East-West divides.
Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis, reinforcing that consumerism acted as the "final straw" for the GDR and suggesting the relevance of these findings in broader contexts like the war on terror.
Keywords
German Reunification, GDR, Consumerism, East Germany, West Germany, Cold War, Political Legitimacy, Standard of Living, Materialism, Monday Demonstrations, Berlin Wall, Socialism, Capitalism, Nationalism, Identity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core argument of this work?
The work argues that while political and economic factors are traditionally emphasized in the study of German reunification, "frustrated consumerism" was a primary, often neglected, driver that eroded the legitimacy of the East German government and catalyzed the events of 1989.
Which thematic areas does the thesis cover?
The thesis covers the historical division of Germany, the legal and constitutional challenges to unity, the economic failures of the socialist planned economy, the influence of West German media, and the societal repercussions of post-reunification life.
What is the primary research question?
The research explores how events in the GDR were shaped by consumer desire and how historians judge the impact of this "frustrated consumerism" on the eventual collapse of the East German state.
What research methods were utilized?
The author utilizes historical analysis, review of existing scholarly works, and primary qualitative data obtained through a questionnaire distributed to East German citizens regarding their personal experiences and perceptions of the era.
What does the main body address?
The main body examines the legal frameworks of both nations, the political blindness of the SED leadership, the stark comparison of living standards between East and West, and the evolution of social movements like the Monday demonstrations.
Which keywords are central to this study?
Key terms include German Reunification, GDR, Consumerism, Political Legitimacy, Socialist-Capitalist contrast, and East German identity.
How did television specifically impact the GDR's stability?
Television acted as a constant, visual medium through which East Germans could compare their restricted material reality with the perceived abundance of the West, fostering a sense of inferiority and dissatisfaction that the government could not suppress.
What did the author conclude about the "welcome money" (Begrüßungsgeld)?
The author notes that East Germans often spent their initial West German "welcome money" on basic, high-quality consumer goods like fresh fruit or coffee, which were scarce in the East, confirming the underlying consumer frustration identified throughout the study.
Does the author suggest broader implications beyond Germany?
Yes, the author connects the power of consumer culture to global geopolitics, briefly discussing how Western consumerism and its perceived material wealth are viewed by fundamentalist groups in the context of the war on terror.
- Quote paper
- Christin Bimberg (Author), 2006, All That Glitters is not Gold - The Impact of Frustrated Consumerism on German Reunification, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/135107
