Development of a Sustainable Democracy in East Germany and Poland :: Political Politics

Development of a Sustainable Democracy in eastmost Germany and PolandLinz and Stepan list and describe a set of five elements thatdetermine a consolidated democracy. Civil troupe, politicalsociety, rule of law, usable state of bureaucracy, and aninstitution of economic society all interact in complex ways to necessitate about democratic consolidation in countries. This paperfocuses and emphasizes the interactions between thedevelopment of a free and lively civil society . . . and aninstitutionalized economic society . . . which must bepresent, or be crafted, in order for a democracy to beconsolidated (Linz and Stepan pg. 17). Two former communistcountries, East Germany and Poland, pass on be analyzed andcritiqued about the prospects for sustainable democracy.Specifically, an analysis of the civil societies in thecountries and how they react to their current economicsituations will be used as a determinant for their chances ofsustaining democracy. Both East Germany and Poland a reconsidered success stories. Both countries pose undergone freeelections that view brought about new leaders in the country that haverepresented the citizens needs and wants, but the transition for thesecountries hasnt been easy. Many citizens in both of the former Sovietbloc countries feel that their votes arent changing the kindly andeconomic conditions, and are rejecting the system with this learnedhelplessness. An increasing number of citizens in both countries areturning to right wing policies as a result of the new and challengingsocial and economic order. Where before workers were guaranteed jobs,allowances, and other provisions from the state, now they face thecutthroat competition that defines capitalism. The economic societiesin the countries have been approached from very different angles.Whereas East Germany was immediately incorporated into the strongeconomic and social conditions of West Germany, Poland was forced tohandle the transition alone. While in East Germany labor andinitiative collapsed and flowed West, Poland had no where to go, andthe capitalist West flowed into their economy in the form ofinvestments. The result has been very positive for Poland, which isnow one of the fastest ontogeny economies in Europe, but very negativefor East Germany which is dawdling in high unemployment and low foreigninvestment. In societies where the party aspired to control allaspects of life, including persecution for unlicenced association,social life was very weak. Martial law and danger of persecution forunauthorized activities encouraged citizens in both countries torestrict their social ties to kin and very secretive friends. The resultof this phenomenon has had a profound effect on the quality of civil