These revision notes provide an in depth summary of this specific chapter of AQA History in the Study of The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991. They can be used directly as lecture notes or can be reduced further to more of a summary of the topic.
History revision – The establishment of democracy – 1949 – 63 (17)
- Adenauer became the first chancellor of the FRG aged 73
- He reluctantly gave up office in 1963 aged 87
- He is considered to be the ‘founding father’ of W Gr democracy
- Was the individual to whom W Gr’s attributed their country’s rapid political and moral
re-birth
The constitution
- The Basic Law which came into force on 23rd May 1949 established the FRG as a
federal, parliamentary democracy
- Was based on four key principles
o The rule of law
o Democratic participation of all
o Federalism
o Social welfare
- Operated through a bi-cameral parliament:
o Lower house – Bundestag
Elected every four years through universal suffrage
50% of its members were directly elected
50% chosen through party lists
Parties needed to win over 5% of the vote to gain representation
o Upper house – Bundesrat
Made up of representatives of each state/ land
Had the power to approve and veto legislation
- The President of the Republic was a largely ceremonial head of state elected by
Bundestag members and representatives of each land parliament
- The Chancellor was the head of government and was elected by the Bundestag
- The Chancellor could only be removed from office by a constructive vote of no
confidence in the Bundestag
- The Federal Constitutional Court was designed to protect the constitution and had
powers to settle disputes between the Federal government and Land governments
- The Basic Law also set out the essential values of the state
- Guaranteed freedom of expression, assembly, association and movement and
included a statement identifying the fundamental basic rights of each Gr
- The Basic Law also committed the FRG to work to re-establish a united Gr
- Moreover, it guaranteed W Gr citizenship for all people of Gr descent, which provided
a great incentive for E Gr’s to flee the Com GDR
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller callumgallagher. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
