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Germany Review Sheet

History and Political Culture:

Common themes of German history have included: disunity and unity, war

and peace, totalitarianism and authoritarianism.

- Totalitarianism: total control over all aspects of life an example beingNai Germany.

- Authoritarianism: Not a democratic government, those in power see! to

control all aspects of political power, but people have rights that are not

related to politics such as a right to privacy.

Germans played role as residents and soldiers in Roman "mpire.

Germany was fragmented for most of its history, was ma#or part of the $oly

Roman "mpire which began under Charlemagne in %&&.

'he $oly Roman "mpire existed until (%&& when it was abolished by

Napoleon.

)rotestant Reformation also began in the fragmented German states, and

*artin luther standardied written German.

Government structure:

Lower House: +undestag: *ore powerful of the two houses, half of the members

are elected through )') election in single member districts -)') is based on

plurality. /ther half of members is elected through party lists. 'here are supposed

to be 01% members, but because of the party list system there can be over hang

and balance seats.

- Overhang: when a party gets more seats than they are entitled to, the

extra seats are !nown as overhang seats. So for example, if the C23 is

entitled to (& seats and they get (4, the 4 extra seats are overhang.- Balance Seats:5hen a party gets less than the minimum seats they

are entitled to, more seats are added and these seats are called balance

seats. So for example if the S)2 were entitled to (& seats but they only

won %, two more seats would be added as balance seats.- So now Bundestag has 631 seats

Current ma#ority in +undestag are the C23, who are in coalition with the S)2, and

CS3.

!unctions: (. passing legislation

4. Scrutiniing gvt and its wor!

6. )assing budgets

7. 8pproving use of armed forces outside Germany

0. "lects chancellor.

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Bill "assage in Bundestag

(. +ill can be introduced as long as it has approval of 09 of members, or is

demanded by a parliamentary group. 'he bill has to then be distributed to all

members of the +undestag. 'his begins the #rst o$ 3 readings% &eading 1:'he bill is debated on if agreed upon by council of elders

or demanded by a parliamentary group. 'he council of elders thendecide which committee the bill will go to. n the committee or

committees, the bill is loo!ed at, and hearings may be held where

interest groups and experts can testify. 'he committees ma!e a

recommendation on the bill which is then given bac! to whole

bundestag where the recommendation is used for debate in reading 4.%% %n second reading