Social Democratic Party of Germany: past and present

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

What kind of organization that protects the interests of citizens, Germany has created? The Social Democratic Party was founded precisely with these aims in mind. Its direction is often confused with the socialist or communist construction of society, but this is a delusion. The Social Democratic Party of Germany, whose program is based on the ideology of the left, has managed to adapt to new political currents. She accepted capitalism as the main lever for the progressive development of society, supported Germany's integration into the European Union, and improved relations with NATO.

The successful rebirth of core dogmas over more than 150 years of existence has allowed the organization to remain in power and actively transform the country.

History of occurrence

What did the Social Democratic Party of Germany bring to the history of their country?

The organization dates back to 1863. The well-known businessman from Leipzig, Ferdinand Lassalle, founded an association of German workers. By uniting their efforts, they began to defend theirthe rights of businessmen - the owners of large companies, who often exploited the workers. The German Workers' Association became the progenitor of the trade union movement

During the period of the German Empire from 1917 to 1918, the movement had about a million citizens in its ranks, and in the 1919 elections, a third of the population of Germany supported this party.

After Germany lost World War I, the Social Democratic Party split in two. In 1918, supporters of the ideology of Marx and the world socialist revolution called their organization communist. And the Social Democrats themselves, under the leadership of Friedrich Ebert, reunited with the liberal part and the conservatives in order to suppress the centers of the communist uprisings.

From 1929 until Hitler came to power, the Social Democrats alternately won elections, making up either a majority or a minority in parliament. Due to the fact that the party has always been able to adapt to new trends in politics, it has remained in the political arena for many years. Even during the reign of the Third Reich, the Social Democrats held semi-legal conventions at which they discussed their plans for the future development of Germany.

What caused the change in the traditional views of the Social Democrats in the 50s of the last century?

A sharp change in traditional views falls on 1950. A large number of German citizens are tired of the notorious rhetoric about the opposition of classes, the inequality of people and the idea of nationalizing industrial enterprises. Euphoria was in the airthe end of World War II and joining NATO and the European Union.

The Social Democratic Party of Germany, whose program was revised in 1956, looked at the problem of building a socialist society through a new prism. The new ideology has become a symbiosis of capitalist and socially oriented economy.

The Social Democratic Party of Germany, whose ideology has become somewhat updated, in 1959 created a new "Godesberg Program". In it, the SPD fully accepted the market economy, agreed to a Western orientation and the revival of the German army. Along with this, the program spoke of the need to abolish capitalism and create a state of social welfare.

Party achievements

The Social Democratic Party SPD has twice achieved major success in the political arena.

The first time this happened was in 1969, when elections led to the formation of a new government led by Willy Brandt. The head of the organization entered the history books after kneeling in front of the monument to the victims of fascism in Poland. He managed to find a common language with the Soviet government and eastern neighbors.

After Brandt in 1998, a new leader emerged. The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) was led by Gerhard Schroeder, who formed a coalition with the Greens. Schroeder's program was supposed to reduce unemployment and improve the social package for German citizens. But his reforms were not implemented.

After 2009, the Social Democrats are replaced by anotherpolitical party - Christian Democrats.

Of course, the Social Democratic Party has made an undeniable contribution to the development of Germany. It was she who achieved the reduction of the working day to 8 hours. Trade unions were given the right to negotiate with managers of large enterprises, and women were able to take part in elections. The Social Democrats played a big role in increasing wages and increasing social benefits.

The big advantage of the organization was that it always stood up for the freedom of citizens, without trying to follow the construction of a society along the Soviet model.

Political flexibility of the party

The Social Democratic Party of Germany has always sought to find a common language with its competitors. The ability to build relationships with opponents enabled its members to hold leading government positions and implement their social programs.

Social Democrats today

Today it is safe to say that the Social Democrats are not popular. Their activities are in crisis. Looks like it's time for a radical change in their program. If it doesn't, who knows if the organization will exist in the future?

Interestingly, the Social Democratic Party of Germany enjoys great success in the CIS countries and Eastern Europe. Their foundation implements many civic and cultural programs. Activities are carried out in countries such as Poland,Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

What is the current position of such an organization as the Social Democratic Party of Germany? The year 2016, namely the parliamentary elections held in September, showed that the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats suffered a political fiasco. For both parties, the election results were the worst results in decades, with the SPD winning 21.6% and the CDU 17.6%.

The modern ideology of the Social Democrats in Germany

So what kind of program does an organization like the Social Democratic Party of Germany have? It can be summarized in the following theses:

• observe the principles of social equality and justice;
• defend the rights of citizens;
• Give citizens equal rights;
• make the economy socially oriented;
• restrict government regulation of the economy;
• support state enterprises that could become worthy competitors to private enterprises;
• nationalize large industrial enterprises, especially the military, aerospace and oil refining sectors;
• ensure social partnership between employers and workers;
• build a state where all citizens will be socially protected;
• protect the economic rights of workers;
• raise the minimum wage;
• end unemployment;
• improve working conditions;
• optimize social safety nets.

Such a line organizationhas been adhering to for many years.

Who currently leads the organization?

Who leads the Social Democratic Party of Germany? Today it is led by a major politician, Sigmar Gabriel. From 1999 to 2003 he was Prime Minister of Lower Saxony. From 2001 to 2009, he was appointed Minister for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety.

Since November 13, 2009, he headed the Social Democratic Party of Germany. In 2013, he was appointed Minister of Economy and Energy.

Social Democratic Party through the eyes of political scientists

What, according to political scientists, does the Social Democratic Party of Germany represent today? Most political experts believe that Germany's political landscape is undergoing a fundamental change. The elections held in March showed that the ruling circles of the coalition are not enjoying the same success with the voters. First of all, this affected the Social Democratic Party. In fact, the voter took as an assessment criterion not economic growth, but a failure in humanitarian policy - the resettlement of a huge flow of refugees from the East.

The elections have become a clear indication of the dissatisfaction of the vast majority of the population with the fact that their country has become a huge refugee camp. The massive refusal to accept immigrants from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other European states only exacerbated an already difficult situation. The inability of the German authorities to repel the attacks of refugees on German citizens determinedsuccessful promotion of the AFD in the March state elections.

If the CDU / CSU, according to observers, has a chance to regain their lost positions, then the Social Democrats do not foresee such an opportunity. The party is losing its supporters from year to year. Many political scientists see the reason for the fact that over the past 15 years of its existence, the organization has not created a single constructive action plan.

The Social Democratic Party of Germany began to lose its popularity since 2000, which was an indicator of deep problems that exist within the organization. Social Democrats are trying to explain the failures in the elections by high competition in the political arena. Many believe that the decline in their ratings was due to the emergence of a new "green" left. Since the end of the 90s of the last century, a drop in the level of voters' confidence in three traditional parties began to be felt: conservatives (CDU / CSU), liberals (FDP) and socialists (SPD). Over the past twenty-five years, many new political currents have emerged, allowing the citizens of Germany to more carefully determine their priorities.

The well-known political scientist Franz W alter, whose specialization is the study of the political situation in Germany, believes that the division of political programs shook the position of the Social Democrats, and the "green" left was able to gain greater confidence among citizens. At the same time, conservative programs, according to the expert, remain an advantage for the Christian Democrats and Christiansocialists. They have no serious competitors.

What was the starting point of the crisis?

It all started back in 1972, when Willy Brandt proclaimed the party's rejection of the role of defender of the interests of the working population. He proclaimed a policy of supporting the new center. Since 2000, many voters have begun to link their future with other parties.

Trends of crisis in the organization were felt during the reign of Gerhard Schroeder, and the economic crisis in Germany that arose at that time only exacerbated the negative directed against the Social Democrats. The Bundestag adopted a new reform program, Agenda 2010, which made it possible to reduce social spending: the payment of unemployment benefits was canceled, and the retirement age was raised to 67 years. All this disrupted the connection of the Social Democratic Party with the trade unions and their main supporters - the workers.

The chairman of the German trade union movement, Michael Sommer, in an interview with Spiegel magazine in 2014 openly stated that the policies of the Social Democrats no longer meet the interests of working citizens.

Many experts believe that the drop in the rating of such a large organization as the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) is caused by the absence of a bright leader like Willy Brandt or, at worst, Gerhard Schroeder. Its modern leaders are successful party workers. With all this, they are not able to become the face of the organization, since they do not have progressive ideas that can inspire voters. This causes apathy among citizens. Manypolitical scientists believe that the most serious mistake was the separation of the position of the leader and the candidate for the post of Bundeschancellor. What role does the Social Democratic Party of Germany play? Leader Sigmar Gabriel, according to experts, is trying to keep his seat and avoid responsibility for the defeat in the elections.

The organization's crisis was also caused by a decrease in the number of its members from 1 million people to 450 thousand in 30 years and a decrease in the age indicator from 30 to 59 years due to the growth of the group of pensioners. In parallel with this, it is also noted that the ideas of the Social Democrats did not gain popularity among the younger generation of Germany. All this will cause a further reduction in the number of party members.

Relations between the German Social Democrats and Russia

After the introduction of sanctions by Western countries against our country, the volume of trade between Russia and Germany has decreased significantly. The first half of this year was marked by a 13% drop in trade turnover. German exports to our country fell to 20%. The loss of the German economy is 12.2 billion euros.

According to representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Germany, the reason for the crisis of economic relations lies in the precarious position of the ruble and the decrease in the purchasing power of Russians.

German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 22, 2016. Many newspapers wrote about the results of the two-day stay of the German politician in Russia. The meeting is estimated ambiguously.

What can be said about such an organization,like the Social Democratic Party of Germany? She has a loyal attitude towards Russia. German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel called for establishing contacts with our country. In his opinion, the exclusion of Russia from the G8 was a gross mistake. At the same time, he notes that our state must strictly adhere to the Minsk agreements to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.

Gabriel spoke out against the tightening of anti-Russian sanctions in early 2015. In his opinion, one should sit down at the negotiating table with Russia, and not put pressure on it with economic measures. In April 2012, Gabriel openly expressed his opinion about Germany's need for Russia as a major trading partner. True, the position of the Vice-Chancellor does not greatly affect the mood of the whole of Germany.

Vice-Chancellor believes that the world community should look for ways to cooperate with Russia, and not aggravate an already difficult situation. The Social Democrat also spoke about the fact that the isolation of our country with a parallel request to the Kremlin to assist in resolving the conflict in Syria is devoid of any logic.

German press criticizes Vice-Chancellor

Gabriel's visit to Moscow caused a flurry of indignation in the German press long before this trip. Many journalists noted that the Kremlin uses German politicians to demonstrate its influence. Friedrich Schmidt, a columnist for the FAZ newspaper, wrote that Moscow is trying to present the visits of its European neighbors as proof that it is not inisolated position.

A press conference with German journalists at the Vice-Chancellor took place on September 22 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. It seems that the politician expected such a turn and got ahead of them, saying that today he held consultations with human rights activists in Russia. According to Russian politicians, his arrival does not play into the hands of the Kremlin at all, and representatives of Western countries should visit Russia more often, since any meetings help smooth out existing contradictions. Gabriel assured reporters that he was not trying to echo the politicians of our country.

So economics or politics?

Gabriel met with Russian human rights activist Daniil Katkov from the Parnassus party, Galina Mikhaleva from Yabloko and Grigory Melkonyants from the non-profit organization Golos. The German minister discussed violations in the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. There was also a discussion about the neglect of the principles of democracy in our country.

According to the German politician, many Russian political parties were simply not allowed to participate in the elections, there was pressure on freedom of speech. But the Vice Chancellor's discussion of these topics was superficial. In the dialogue, he tried to convey that the main purpose of his visit is not political, but economic problems.

A large group of German entrepreneurs came with the Vice-Chancellor, who cooperate with Russian businessmen. The meeting was attended by Executive Director of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy Michael Harms (Michael Harms) and a member of the board of Siemens concern Siegfried Russwurm (Siegfried Russwurm). It is precisely the interests of these two majorbusinessmen and represented Gabrielle at a meeting with the leader of our country, Vladimir Putin, and the Russian Minister of Industry and Economic Development.

Gabriel emphasized several times that the main concern is the fate of 5,600 German companies operating in Russia. The issue of legal regulation of investments, as well as a ban on imports, was discussed. All this has had a detrimental effect not only on the interests of companies, but also on their employees.

According to Gabriel, one cannot speak only about economic problems, but it would be a big mistake not to touch on them, since after the imposition of sanctions, there has been a rapid reduction in jobs both in our country and in Germany.

At a meeting with Russian ministers, the question was raised of how to reduce the degree of dependence of our state on resources, as well as to support medium and small businesses.

Elections in Crimea and sanctions

When touching on political topics, the head of the Social Democratic Party of Germany Gabriel tried to avoid harsh criticism of our country. As for the issue of foreign policy related to the elections in Crimea, here the Vice-Chancellor noted that the Social Democratic Party takes a position similar to other parties about the illegality of such a step. Holding elections in Crimea is contrary to international law and is classified as an annexation. Elections in Crimea, in his opinion, are illegal. And the problem lies not in the elections themselves, but in the events that preceded them.

Sayings about European sanctions

What does the Social Democratic Party of Germany think about the timing of sanctions against Russia? Its leader expressed a point of view different from the common European one. According to Sigmar Gabriel, the process is directly dependent on the implementation of the Minsk agreements, but the lifting of economic sanctions should be carried out in stages, as certain points of this agreement are fulfilled.

Vice-Chancellor noted that he looks at this problem realistically and does not expect absolute fulfillment of all points from Russia. At the same time, Gabriel stated that in this situation, the resolution of the conflict depends not only on our country, but also on Ukraine.