Social issues in Germany

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The German social market economy (soziale Marktwirtschaft) helped bring about the "economic miracle" that rebuilt Germany from ashes after World War II to one of the most impressive economies in Europe. Still Germany continues to struggle with a number of social issues. [1]

Contents

[edit] The role of women

For centuries, a woman's role in German society was summed up by the three words: Kinder (children), Küche (kitchen), and Kirche (church) — Kinder, Küche, Kirche. Throughout the twentieth century, however, women have gradually won victories in their quest for equal rights. Despite significant gains, discrimination remains in united Germany. Women are noticeably absent in the top tiers of German business. They only hold 9.2% of jobs in Germany's upper and middle management positions.[1] Until 2001 women were barred from serving in combat units in the Bundeswehr, being restricted to the medical service and the administration. The first woman to become chancellor is Angela Merkel, who was elected in 2005.[citation needed]

Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel

[edit] Reunification

Issues created by reunification in 1990 have begun to narrow. While the standard of living is still higher in the western half of the country, and unemployment is considerably higher in the East, easterners now share a reasonably high standard of living. [2]. Still, even as economic issues are abating between the two formerly separate parts of the country, societal and cultural divisions persist. Stereotypes and labels such as "Jammerossi" (whining easterner), "Besserwessi" (arrogant westerner who always thinks he is right), and western resentment towards the costs of unification point to continued prejudices. [3]

[edit] Unemployment

Germans continue to be concerned about a relatively high level of unemployment [4].

[edit] Political extremism

Since World War II, Germany has experienced intermittent turmoil from various groups. In the 1970s leftist terrorist organisations like the Red Army Faction engaged in a string of assassinations and kidnappings against political and business figures. Germany has also continued to struggle with "far-right violence" or "neo-nazis" which are presently on the rise[citation needed]. There is some debate as to whether "hate crime" is presently on the rise or more arrests have been made due to increased law-enforcement efforts. The number of officially recognized violent hate crimes have risen from 759 (2003) to 776 (2005). Some have suggested that the increase in "hate crime" is related to the successes of the "right-wing" parties such as the NPD (National Democratic Party) in local elections. [5]

[edit] A low birth rate and an aging population

Germany has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. In 2005 its national fertility rate was 1.39 children per woman, up slightly from the 2002 rate (1.31), but still well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman. (By contrast, the United States had a fertility rate of 2.09 in 2006). At the same time, Germans are living longer, with a life expectancy of 75.6 for men and 81.3 for women [6]. This demographic shift is already straining the country's social welfare structures and will produce further economic and social problems in the future. [7]

[edit] Immigration

Immigration continues to be a concern of both economic and social importance. Germany has always been and still is a society with a considerable rate of immigration. Together with the enactment of a new set of immigration laws, integration of migrants has become a main focus of official federal policy. By virtue of language courses and courses on culture, politics, and society, which are largely state-financed, integration of new migrants is regulated country-wide; in some specified cases, participation in such courses is compulsory. Furthermore, the new law provides for fewer formalities and more options for highly skilled third-country nationals to enter the country for working there; citizens of European Union member states generally enjoy the right to abode and work in Germany, thus, their stay is not regulated. At the same time, with a view to security threats by international terrorism, expulsion of foreign hate-mongers and suspective terrorists in Germany has been made easier. As a result of enhanced security measures, immigrants (especially those from Muslim and African countries) may face police inquiries (such as requests for identification), which some voices regard as undue. New immigrants face prejudices and problems integrating with the native population and often segment into separate communities.[8]. Higher rates of delinquency and more general integration problems persist amongst some migrant groups. Notwithstanding police operations focusing on this matter, migrants may still be subject to racist assaults mainly in rural areas or small towns in former East Germany. This being said, such problems are not unique to Germany and the incidence of the more severe of these problems are relatively rare in perspective. Some German states (which are responsible for education affairs) have banned Muslim teachers from wearing headscarves in class, generally by prohibiting the use of all religious symbols by teachers; this issue is being intensively discussed in the general public. Unlike France, German states have not extended this ban to pupils. German political backlash due to integration with Europe is resulting in new laws seeking to equalize the pay of eastern European workers (such as those from Poland and the Czech Republic) in an effort to curb the advantages to their hire. Alleged and real competition of "cheap" labour force mainly from Eastern Europe is an issue which right and far-right political groups - in some areas with some success - try to use to promote nationalist approaches in immigration policy. However, during the last decades, no far-right movement has been able to gain enough support to win seats in federal elections or to play any important role in politics on the federal level.

[edit] Religion in education

Some German states have banned Muslim teachers from wearing headscarves in class and all except Bavaria have banned crosses from the classroom as well, generally by prohibiting the use of all religious symbols by teachers. This is legitimate by combining the German states' privilege of educational laws with the principle of separation of church and state, both provided for in the German federal constitution: According to this legal view, teachers in their vocational function within a state administered educational system are obliged to maintain and publicly exhibit religious neutrality when on duty. As this status of employment does not hold for pupils, whose constitutional right to religious freedom thus remains unencumbered by these provisions, this ban cannot legally be extended to them as it is in France.

[edit] Homosexual issues

Germany has some of the most liberal laws in Europe regulating the status of gays and lesbians, though less so than other countries such as the Netherlands[9]. Gay partnerships which are just short of marriage have been permitted since 2001 [10]. Gays and lesbians can legally adopt their partner's biological children (so called stepchild adoption). Legally partnered gays are exempted from Germany's compulsory conscription (as are married heterosexuals). Legally partnered gays are not required to testify against each other in court. That being said, gay couples do not enjoy the tax benefits that heterosexual couples do.[11] Politically, this has caused a "clash of cultures", with the states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia suing against the introduction of "life partnerships" in 2001. They argued the law was violating a clause of the Basic Law stating "marriage and family" were under the state's "special protection". In 2002, the Federal Court of Justice of Germany ruled that this protection did not mean the legislature could not grant other arrangements similar, or even the same, rights. Nevertheless, Bavaria has declared its intent to sue against the recently introduced stepchild adoption. [12] The Christian Social Union and Christian Democratic Union of Germany political parties have been actively working to restrict extensions in legal rights granted to homosexuals. At the same time the opposition leader of the Free Democratic Party , Guido Westerwelle, has called for an increase in rights (in particular economic rights) and has stated that the government has not gone far enough (in spite of having voted against the introduction of life partnerships in parliament in 2001).[13] In general, Germany is one of the more legally and socially tolerant countries towards homosexuals. Despite this general toleration, debate on the status of homosexuals continues.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] External link

  • "Berlin blues" relatively long article by The Guardian on the current economical problems and mood in Germany shortly before the general elections (September 15, 2005)
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