The Politics of German Defence and Security

by Dyson, Tom

• ISBN13: 9781845453923
• ISBN10: 1845453921
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-03-03
• Publisher: Berghahn Books

Summary

The post-Cold War era has witnessed a dramatic transformation in the German political consensus about the legitimacy of the use of force. However, in comparison with its EU and NATO partners, Germany has been reticent to transform its military to meet the challenges of the contemporary security environment. Until 2003 territorial defence rather than crisis-management remained the armed forces'core role and the Bundeswehr continues to retain conscription. The book argues that 'strategic culture'provides only a partial explanation of German military reform. It demonstrates how domestic material factors were of crucial importance in shaping the pace and outcome of reform, despite the impact of 'international structure'and adaptational pressures from the EU and NATO. The domestic politics of base closures, ramifications for social policy, financial restrictions consequent upon German unification and commitment to EMU's Stability and Growth Pact were critical in determining the outcome of reform. The study also draws out the important role of policy leaders in the political management of reform as entrepreneurs, brokers or veto players, shifting the focus in German leadership studies away from a preoccupation with the Chancellor to the role of ministerial and administrative leadership within the core executive. Finally, the book contributes to our understanding of the Europeanization of the German political system, arguing that policy leaders played a key role in 'uploading'and 'downloading'processes to and from the EU and that Defence Ministers used 'Atlanticization'and 'Europeanization'in the interests of their domestic political agendas. Tom Dysonis a Lecturer at the University of Surrey, having previously worked as an ESRC Research Fellow at the International Relations Department, London School of Economics and as a Visiting Lecturer at the LSE's Department of Government. He has published articles on German foreign and security policy in European Securityand the British Core Executive in the Second World War in Contemporary British History.

Author Biography

Tom Dyson is a Lecturer at the University of Surrey, having previously worked as an ESRC Research Fellow at the International Relations Department, London School of Economics and as a Visiting Lecturer at the LSE's Department of Government. He has published articles on German foreign and security policy in European Security and the British Core Executive in the Second World War in Contemporary British History.

Table of Contents

Figures and Tables
Explaining the Paradox of German Defence Policy: 1990-2005	p. 1
The Bundeswehr in its Historical and Structural Context: The Scope for Policy Leadership	p. 18
Policy Leadership and Bundeswehr Reform during the Kohl Chancellorships: The Art of Varying and Sequencing Roles	p. 50
Policy Leadership on Bundeswehr Reform during the First Schroder Chancellorship 1998-2002: Managing 'Government by Commission'	p. 87
Bundeswehr Reform during the Second Schroder Chancellorship 2002-05: The Art of Combining Leadership Roles	p. 119
Military Reform, NATO, and The European Security and Defence Policy: Between Atlanticisation and Europeanisation	p. 148
A Laggard in Military Reform: The Arts of Policy Leadership and the Triumph of Domestic Constraints over International Opportunity	p. 183
Bibliography	p. 197
Index	p. 210
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