Question 1

Postwar Germany has been both economically prosperous and democratic. How are those two conditions related to each other? Did Germany become democratic because it was prosperous, or vice-versa? Why? Use specific examples to illustrate your arguments.

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Question 2

Germany became a unified country and began developing democratic institutions later than most other West European countries. How did that contribute to Germany's difficulties during the twentieth century?

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Question 3

In the post-World War II Germany, the first chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, centralized power into the office of the chancellor to such a degree that Germany became known as a __________.

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Question 4

How many major political parties does Germany have? How many minor ones? What affects the number of parties and how they compete with each other? What role do the Free Democrats (FDP) play in German politics?

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Question 5

The __________ Act provided the legal basis for the entire Third Reich.

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Question 6

How did the end of World War I lead to Hitler's rise to power and the start of World War II? How did the occupying powers attempt to avoid repeating the "mistakes" that occurred after World War I? How has that impacted German politics today?

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Question 7

What was the impact of the occupation of Germany after World War II? How did it contribute to the Cold War? What are the implications for current conditions in Germany and Europe?

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Question 8

The constitutional provision that only allows a __________ vote of no confidence means that a government cannot be voted out unless a new government is voted in.

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Question 9

Polls have shown in recent years that __________ of the electorate in Germany can be classified as postmaterialist.

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The answer of Polls have shown in recent years that...

Question 10

What is Germany's role in the European Union and the Eurozone generally? How has Germany reacted to the Eurozone/sovereign debt crises in other European countries? What alternatives does Germany have going forward? What would you recommend they do? Why?

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Question 11

The lower house of the German legislature is the __________.

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Question 12

The first extremist right wing party to win seats in the Bundestag since the 1950s is:

Accepted Answer

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the first extremist right-wing party to win seats in the Bundestag since the 1950s, marking a significant shift in German politics.

Question 13

What changes in German political culture made democratization possible so soon after the demise of the fascist regime in 1945? What impact have those changes had on the German political system in place today?

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Question 14

Of all the major European countries, Germany has had the most successful Green party and the largest group of postmaterialist voters. How would you explain that? What difference has that made in German political life?

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Question 15

At the end of World War II, Germany's capital city of Berlin fell into the zone controlled by the __________.

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The answer of At the end of World War II,...

Question 16

How does federalism work in Germany? How do German states/lander compare to subnational units in the other countries we have studied so far? How has this relationship helped or hurt German development in the post-World War II era? Be as specific as possible.

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Question 17

Much earlier than the Labour Party in Britain, the SPD abandoned __________ in order to achieve electoral success.

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Question 18

The German population rate is declining, leading to a growth in the aging population. What impact might this have on the economy of the country? What might its impact be on the political structures?

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Question 19

Germany's comprehensive energy policy is known as:

Accepted Answer

Energiewende, which translates to "energy transition" or "energy turnaround," is the term used to describe Germany's ambitious energy policy. It aims to shift from coal and nuclear energy to a more sustainable, renewable energy-based system, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 20

During the Middle Ages, Germany was home to the Holy Roman Empire, also known as the __________ Reich.

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Quiz 6: Germany