Unit 2E.2 - The German Democratic Republic, 1949-90
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How effective were the welfare programmes of the GDR in meeting the needs of the population between 1949
and 1985?
After the building of the ‘anti-fascist protective rampart’ in 1961, the SED were able to implement social
welfare programmes through the social contract. This was an ideological but also economic and politically
driven policy, whereby the government would provide social and welfare benefits in return for political loyalty
and outward conformity. The government attempted to reform housing, education, the role of women and
healthcare via welfare programs throughout the period 1949-1985. Although there were some successes in
meeting the people's needs such as exceeding the target number of houses built, the government struggled to
keep up with what the people needed as economy worsened and their needs changed over time. Therefore, it
is highly debatable the effectiveness of the welfare programs in meeting the needs of the people between
1949 and 1985.
After the second world war, the majority of teachers were removed since 80% of them were closely linked to
Nazism, leaving the education system in chaos. The people required new teachers and schools as many were
bomb damaged, but also people sought the opportunity to higher education after persecution by the Nazis.
The SED had major successes in fulfilling the needs of the people, for example in 1946, the law for the
Democratisation of German Schools abolished private and church schools replacing them with Grundschules.
Significantly, Grundschules enabled everyone no matter their class to gain higher education, more academic
students would attend ‘Extended upper schools’ and the less academic entered vocational training which had
links with industry and focus on science and technology. Moreover, through the SED favouring those targeted
by Nazis by the 1950s half of university students were working class. However, the needs of the people shifted,
and despite the number of children in education for eight years or more rising from 16% in the 1950s to 72% in
1970s, the workforce was largely overqualified. Subsequently, university applicants were required to
demonstrate political conformity, for instance being a part of the Free German Youth, and after 1965 the law
of unified socialist education system meant students should study Marxist-Leninist principles and learn
Russian. Those who lacked political conformity, such as those who hadn’t participated in Jugendwihe or opted
out of military training struggled to reach university having to work as Bausoldaten who were seen as disloyal
to the GDR. This points to the conclusion; the welfare programmes were effective in meeting the needs of the
lower class at the start of the period, but the middle/upper class were persecuted making it difficult to gain a
university place, however this was reversed in the 1970s. Moreover, for the most part education programmes
were effective in meeting the needs of the people.
Secondly, after the second world war, housing was significantly damaged especially in areas such as Dresden
and Berlin, as much as 14% of all housing in the GDR was destroyed by 1945. Moreover, the people of the GDR
required more housing and a higher standard of it, as during the 1950s only 3% of housing had central heating
and only 30% had a bath. Clearly a problem as most complaints in Eingaben related to poor quality of housing.
Therefore, to remedy this new residential socialist communities near centres of industry were formed, for
example Halle-Neustadt founded in 1967 and Hoyerswerda founded in 1955. These types of communities had
additional benefits to the people such as health, childcare and community centres as well as sports facilities,
evidently fulfilling the people’s needs of a higher standard of living. However, faced with the worsening
economy and continued public need for housing, prefabricated substandard housing was introduced.
Nevertheless, it was highly successful as between 1971 and 1975, 400,000 new homes were built and by 1980
the target of one million homes had been exceeded due to Plattenbau housing. Despite success in quantity,
the quality lacked with plattenbau housing referred to as ‘comfort cells’, crime rates were as up to 20% higher,
and divorce spiked as there remained a shortage forcing couples to live with parents (in the mid 1980s 30% of
marriages led to divorce). Furthermore, housing allocation was very unfair, favouring party officials and those
most economically productive resulting in elderly in poor accommodation. Evidently, the housing programs did
not completely meet the needs of the people population. However, there was progression as not only did
Honecker built a substantial number of houses, but he also refurbished 290,000 buildings. Nevertheless,
programmes were limited in improving the quality of housing as by the 1970s only 50% had a bath or shower
and 20% had central heating reflecting that Honecker's policy was ineffective in meeting the needs of the
people.
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