According to a recent survey, only 42 percent of East Germans to keep the democracy is the best form of government. The reasons for the skepticism are primarily to be found in the biography of many of the East German.
Almost 30 years ago, the people in East Germany went in Leipzig and many other cities – to the streets to demonstrate. For freedom of travel, free elections and for democracy as a form of government. But of the latter many of the people in East Germany seem to be not quite convinced. A survey by the Institut für demoskopie Allenbach, carried out for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, suggests that, at least. Only 42 percent of the respondents in the representative survey in Germany, democracy is the best form of government. In West Germany, this meant, however, 77 percent of the respondents.
Breaks in the biography of the decisive
How come? The citizens who live in the East and witnessed a large part of the GDR are, in principle, democracy is more sceptical? No, says Martina Weyrauch, head of the Brandenburg state office for political education – and, although the value has always been low: “I don’t think the point is that the East Germans do not learn new skills, and still the dictatorship hung.”
Rather, it was a concern, what kind of experience would have made the citizens in the new Federal States during and after the peaceful Revolution: “What happened to all the people, without being asked – this process is often not considered. These breaks have led to some of the population are very skeptical of all Ruling.” The Experience of democracy is based on stable relationships and did not exist on the territory of the former GDR for many in the post-reunification years.
Skepticism towards market economy
Also the economic system is evaluated in both the East and West are very different. In West Germany, 48 per cent of the respondents are of the opinion that there is no better System than the market economy. In Eastern Germany it is only 30 percent. “This has to do with the last 30 years have been very uncertain – economically and in regards to the existence of their own. That children do not go out of the villages, you know, what is that in the villages the last Store closes,” says Weyrauch: “50 percent of all industrial jobs have been lost, no-one has made after 1990, even what he has before done.”
Also interesting: While only 26 percent of the West German it is still relevant, whether you come as a German from East or West, according to the Allensbach survey in the Eastern States more than half, or 52 percent. The origin than those in the East seems to be playing in the minds of many is still a great role. This can be seen in the start of the election campaign in the autumn of 2019, the upcoming Landtag elections in Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia. “Many of the parties to exploit East Germany for their election campaign. A pretty hillbilly way I find,” says Martina Weyrauch. It would be better if the East Germans would be encouraged by the local politicians, to be open to the world and self-aware.
Unequal Living Conditions
The managing Director of the Bach Institute, Renate Köcher, writes about the study of your house that many East Germans obviously “foreign felt in one’s own house”. In an Interview for on Thursday published weekly newspaper “The time” jumps in addition, Chancellor Angela Merkel personally, the East German side. You could understand the frustration of many in East Germany: “the hopes, the alignment will go quickly, are in some areas scattered.”
The Chancellor is shown to be quite self-critical. The task of the policy was clear: “You always set out that the elements of that one day. But if you look at today, are still substantial wage differences between Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt, then a lot of bother.” Therefore, it had to go now a question of equivalent living conditions.