This paper discusses the classic understanding of the Revolution in East Germany in 1989. The excluding criteria of violence will be challenged upon the revolutionary process. Furthermore, the reasons for the non-violent participation in the protest will be analysed upon a structural-behavioural approach within the Ration Action Theory. This paper examines the term 'Peaceful Revolution' and its outstanding characteristic of peaceful. First, the definition and framework of the Revolution will be discussed. The paper concentrates on the non-violent aspect through a behavioural-rational approach which will be also introduced to the reader.
In the second part, the paper will discuss if the process in East-Germany fulfils the conditions of a Revolution. Furthermore, the reasons why people participated in demonstrations in the autumn of 1989, especially why the people choose a non-violent way, will be viewed. The paper follows the research question: Why did the protest in Autumn 1989 in East Germany remain peaceful? How does the Peaceful Revolution challenge the classic definition of Revolution?
1989 became a historically important year for Germany and the whole of Europe: The fall of the Wall on November 9th became a symbol for the self-liberation of East Germans. It marked the end of an authoritarian soviet Era and the reunification of one of the economically strongest nations in Europe. Today 30 years later the Peaceful Revolution is celebrated as a unique spontaneous and non-violent revolution in Germany.
The GDR (German Democratic Republic) citizens reached for freedom during the Monday demonstrations in the main cities of Leipzig, Dresden, and East-Berlin after they were oppressed for 40 years by a socialist totalitarian regime. Elementary human rights such as freedom of travel, speech, and information were taken away from them. During one month, October 1989, East Germans started writing history: the dictatorship was peacefully challenged with demonstrations and rallies and then completely swept away. Divided Germany and Europe were gone. October 9th is seen as a milestone in Germany's road to freedom and finally resulted in the Fall of the Wall on November 9th.
Table of content
1. Introduction
2. Definition of Revolution
3. Rational Action Theory
4. Analysis of Revolution in East Germany 1989
4.1 Change
4.2 Forcible (violent) change
4.3 Mass mobilization
5. Reasons for the non-violent character of the Peaceful Revolution
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the nature of the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany in 1989, challenging traditional definitions of revolution that emphasize violence. By applying a behavioral-structural approach within the framework of Rational Action Theory, the research seeks to explain why the protests remained non-violent and how they achieved the fundamental transformation of the GDR regime.
- The role of non-violent strategies as an effective political tool.
- Application of Rational Action Theory to explain individual participation in protests.
- The influence of behavioral and structural components on the GDR's stability.
- Comparative analysis of the GDR reform process and its transformation into a revolution.
- The importance of elite-people interplay in preventing state violence.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 Change
Firstly, to analyze the long-term changes, the goals of protesters in Leipzig, Dresden and other smaller cities in East Germany need to be mentioned. Slogans as “SED-no thanks!“, „Stasi get out“, “We are the people” or "Democracy now or never” (cited in Opp, Voss, Gern, 1995) were shouted by the mass in the streets. The people primarily fought for the removal of General Secretary Honecker and his team, the disempowerment of the Stasi (State Security Service) and that the SED faced free elections. The current system of the GDR was no longer tolerated and the people were searching for freedom of speech, travel, and assurance of fair trial. Freedom as a leading aim of the protest confirms Arendt's approach (1965, cited in Kimmel, 1990).
The statistic shows that the majority of the participants demonstrated for more democracy (Opp, Voss, Gern, 1995). The demand for democratization is a sign that the mass aimed for a change in society. But the original goal was to reform the GDR. Revolution and the reunification were not one of the main goals at the beginning (Süß, 2004). Nevertheless, the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9 was the result of pressure from the street (Spiegel Online, 2009). The event has a strongly broader political and symbolic impact on people's perceptions, which brought them to formulate further-reaching political goals (Neckermann, 1991). After November 9th, there were not only a wave of demonstrations across the GDR but also a strong shift in protest goals. Instead of the chant "we are the people", the new refrain was "we are one people!" (Opp, Voss, Gern, 1995). In Leipzig, on December 11th, on two banners appeared: "Long live the Saxon revolution!" and "We now need a psychological revolution - it has to start in the head!" (bpb). The probability of unification becomes increasingly present to many citizens of the GDR. In the same week, Honecker was discharged, the ruling power block disintegrated, and the SED resigned en bloc in December 1989.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the historical significance of 1989 in Germany and defines the research question regarding the peaceful nature of the revolution.
2. Definition of Revolution: This section provides a theoretical basis for revolution, emphasizing the roles of mass mobilization, structural change, and the distinction between reform and revolution.
3. Rational Action Theory: This chapter explains the theoretical framework used to understand human behavior as goal-oriented, focusing on individual calculations of costs and incentives.
4. Analysis of Revolution in East Germany 1989: This chapter analyzes the specific developments in East Germany, focusing on the shifts in protester goals, the absence of state violence, and the emergence of mass mobilization.
5. Reasons for the non-violent character of the Peaceful Revolution: This section investigates why citizens and the state opted for non-violence, citing strategic choices, moral incentives, and fear of repression.
6. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings, confirming the events of 1989 as a unique "revolution from below" and arguing for a broader definition of revolution.
Keywords
Peaceful Revolution, revolutions, human rights, unification, rational choice theory, GDR, mass mobilization, non-violence, structural-behavioral approach, SED, democracy, protest behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper discusses the classic understanding of revolution and challenges the necessity of violence within that definition, specifically by analyzing the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany in 1989.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
Key themes include the transformation of the GDR, the role of mass mobilization, the application of Rational Action Theory, and the dynamics of non-violent resistance.
What is the main research question of the work?
The research asks why the protests in autumn 1989 remained peaceful and how the Peaceful Revolution challenges the classic academic definition of a revolution.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The paper employs a structural-behavioral approach embedded within Rational Action Theory to analyze how incentives and structural conditions influenced individual and elite actions.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the definition of revolution, the theoretical analysis of rational action, a case study of the 1989 revolution in East Germany, and the specific motivations for maintaining a non-violent character throughout the movement.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Essential keywords include Peaceful Revolution, rational choice theory, mass mobilization, GDR, human rights, and non-violence.
Why was the "Chinese solution" a relevant fear for the GDR citizens?
The "Chinese solution" referred to the violent repression of student protests in Beijing in June 1989; citizens feared a similar bloody crackdown by their own government.
What role did the Evangelical Church play in the protests?
The Church provided a protected space for discussion, which was vital for the early organization of opposition groups and served as a gathering point for the Monday demonstrations.
Why did the GDR regime refrain from using massive force against the protesters?
The regime faced information deficits regarding the size of the opposition, lacked internal loyalty in the security apparatus, and feared the negative international reputation that violent repression would cause.
- Citation du texte
- Sophia Khatri (Auteur), 2020, The Revolution in East Germany in 1989. A Peaceful Revolution?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/997575
