Description
Berghahn Books The Politics of German Defence and Security Policy Leadership and Military Reform in the post-Cold War Era 2008 Edition by Tom Dyson
The post-Cold War era has witnessed a dramatic transformation in the German political consensus about the legitimacy of the use of force. However, in comparison with its EU and NATO partners, Germany has been reticent to transform its military to meet the challenges of the contemporary security environment. Until 2003 territorial defence rather than crisis-management remained the armed forces' core role and the Bundeswehr continues to retain conscription. The book argues that 'strategic culture' provides only a partial explanation of German military reform. It demonstrates how domestic material factors were of crucial importance in shaping the pace and outcome of reform, despite the impact of 'international structure' and adaptational pressures from the EU and NATO. The domestic politics of base closures, ramifications for social policy, financial restrictions consequent upon German unification and commitment to EMU's Stability and Growth Pact were critical in determining the outcome of reform. The study also draws out the important role of policy leaders in the political management of reform as entrepreneurs, brokers or veto players, shifting the focus in German leadership studies away from a preoccupation with the Chancellor to the role of ministerial and administrative leadership within the core executive. Finally, the book contributes to our understanding of the Europeanization of the German political system, arguing that policy leaders played a key role in 'uploading' and 'downloading' processes to and from the EU and that Defence Ministers used 'Atlanticization' and 'Europeanization' in the interests of their domestic political agendas. Table of contents :- AcknowledgementsFigures and TablesList of AbbreviationsChapter 1. Explaining the Paradox of German Defense Policy 1990-2005Germany in Context: Military Reform in Britain and FranceExplaining the Paradox: Leadership and Culture as a Political ResourceThe Concept of Policy LeadershipLeadership and Policy Studies in GermanyChapter 2. The Bundeswehr in its Historical and Structural Context: The Scope for Policy LeadershipThe Bundeswehr Policy SubsystemInterlocking and Nested Policy Subsystems: Defense, Security, Foreign, and Budgetary PolicyThe Three Coalitions in Defense and Security Policy During the Cold WarThe Post-Cold War World: Unification, New Security Threats, and Responding to U.S. PowerConclusionChapter 3. Policy Leadership and Bundeswehr Reform During the Kohl Chancellorships: The Art of Varying and Sequencing RolesFrom the Gulf War to Sarajevo: Helmut Kohl as Policy LeaderDeveloping the Crisis Intervention Role of the Bundeswehr: Volker Ruhe as Policy Entrepreneur and Broker 1992-94The Structure of the Bundeswehr and the Politics of Base Closures: Volker Ruhe as Policy Broker and Veto Player 1994-98Leadership within the Defense Ministry: Denkverbot and the Control of Policy LearningContenders for the Role of Policy Entrepreneur on Bundeswehr Reform: Klaus Kinkel, the Foreign Ministry, the FDP, and the GreensAdapting to Ruhe: The SPD and the Deferral of Bundeswehr ReformConclusionsChapter 4. Policy Leadership on Bundeswehr Reform During First the Schroeder Chancellorship 1998-2002: Managing "Government by Commission"Fanning the Flames of Policy Learning: The Weizsacker CommissionThe Strategic Context of Bundeswehr Reform: Base Closures, Social Policy, and the CDU/CSU OppositionRudolf Scharping as Policy Leader: The Marginalisation of the Weizsacker Commission and the Control of Policy LearningPolicy Leadership and the Unsuccessful Implementation of ReformConclusionsChapter 5. Bundeswehr Reform During the Second Schroeder Chancellorship 2002-05: The Art of Combining Leadership RolesThe Parameters of Reform: Domestic Politics and the "Need for New Think"Struck and the Defense Policy Guidelines (VPR): "Germany Will be Defended on the Hindukush"Combining Leadership Roles to Build Consensus at the Macropolitical LevelStruck as Policy Veto Player on Structural Reform: Political Timing and the Control of Policy LearningConclusionsChapter 6. Military Reform, NATO, and The Common European Security and Defense Policy: Between Atlanticization and EuropeanizationTheories of Europeanization and German Defense and Security PolicyThe EU and German Defense and Security Policy During the Kohl ChancellorshipFischer, Scharping, and Europeanization: The Legacy of OppositionEuropeanization versus Atlanticization in the Defense Ministry: The Problem of Institutional CredibilityConclusion: A Disjointed DiscourseChapter 7. A Laggard in Military Reform: The Arts of Policy Leadership and the Triumph of Domestic Constraints over International OpportunityLeadership and the Triumph of Domestic ConstraintThe Implications for German Leadership StudiesThe Concept of Strategic Culture: Resource as Well as ConstraintEuropeanization: Leadership and the Management of 'Fit'BibliographyIndex