Germany In Transition

Germany in Transition: A Unified Nation's Search for Identity discusses the unification of Germany, covering foreign and European affairs, economic and business issues, eastern Germany, and minority rights. Seldom has a country been confronted with such fundamental, wholesale changes to its political system and national identity as was Germany during its 1990 unification. Those changes have required the nation to undertake substantial reforms of its political and economic structures, as well as rethink its self-perception. Written by Americans with practical experience in Germany, the book contains unique insights into the range of issues being addressed in Germany today.Through the use of specific case studies, the challenges confronting Germany are dramatically illustrated. The myriad difficulties of maintaining the prosperity western Germans have come to expect, while responding to the demands of eastern Germans eager to share in the comfortable living standards of the west, have proved daunting at times. Chapters dealing with reform of the railway system and telecommunications markets, regional planning, and the ongoing debate over the competitiveness of the business and private sectors, all highlight different approaches to dealing with the complex issues faced by the country today. Two chapters dealing with minority rights demonstrate the equally perplexing societal problems facing the newly unified Germany.Germany's role in Europe and in the international community is addressed both in the discussion of the new "German Question" and of European integration as it relates to environmental law. Concluding chapters by three prominent Germans - a diplomat, an editor, and a former member of Parliament - address the changes Germany faces in its role in the global community.