The German Social Democratic Party and the International Situation
| Autor: | Henry L. Bretton |
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| Rok vydání: | 1953 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | American Political Science Review. 47:980-996 |
| ISSN: | 1537-5943 0003-0554 |
| DOI: | 10.2307/1951120 |
| Popis: | Following the general election of September, 1953, the German Social Democratic party (SPD) finds itself in the role of a sole opposition party, a phenomenon in modern German politics. Confronted by a nearly solid phalanx of anti-socialist parties, the SPD approaches a period of crisis and of continuous strain. The ability of the Government to marshal an absolute majority at all times and a two-thirds majority when need be, threatens to relegate the party to virtual legislative impotence. Yet there are several factors militating for the continued existence of the SPD as a vigorous opposition party. Not having to compete with an irresponsible Communist organization in Western Germany, the SPD can be considered as the principal representative of the working class. Furthermore, its long history, its highly developed organizational apparatus, the discipline and devotion of its rank and file, coupled with the will to attain power, make the SPD a factor of relative significance in German as well as in European politics.' On the other hand, the dynamics of the East-West conflict, and especially Germany's geographic and political relation to it, tend to affect the political fortunes of the party somewhat adversely. The international situation represents a deadly challenge to the SPD and its survival as an influential political organization may well depend upon its ability to generate a counterforce to the pressures exerted upon Germany by the super-powers. It is to throw some light on this aspect of the SPD's existence that the present article was written. A British Socialist, attempting to give his party a new political orientation, observed that it was the task of a socialist foreign policy to exercise restraints on the policy of the Atlantic Powers. "We must first accept the Cold War as the central fact of twentieth century politics (just as class war was the central fact of nineteenth century politics) and then disprove the prophets who prove that it must end in World War IL."2 There are strong indications that German Social Democracy has accepted the "central fact" and has made it the basis of a foreign policy program which, for the present at least, tends to lead that party in the direction of nationalism. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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