Page 167 - The Making of the German Post-war Economy

140 THE MAKING OF THE GERMAN POST-WAR ECONOMY

majority of the Germans in the American zone (68 per cent), Bremen (72
per cent), and Berlin (72 per cent), explicitly disapproved of strikes. The
main criticism was that such strikes were useless and would accomplish
nothing. Only 20 per cent of the residents in the American zone felt that,
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if called upon to decide, political parties would opt for the good of the
country, as opposed to 62 per cent who thought that the parties would
pursue their own interests. Somewhat over a third (38 per cent) felt that
people could influence the activities of political parties. The majority of
those who perceived little chance of influence (34 per cent) argued that
the parties would do as they pleased without regard for the wishes of the
people. Two-thirds of those who thought that the people could exert
influence believed that this would be desirable, as did three-quarters of the
more pessimistic. Regarding the Länder parliaments, only 41 per cent
thought their members were in touch with public opinion, 30 per cent felt
that their members welcomed expressions of opinion from the public, and
merely 29 per cent felt their own interests as citizens were sufficiently
represented in these parliaments. Nor were the prospects for political
participation any greater: 71 per cent of the Germans voiced their
unwillingness to take a responsible position in the political life of their
community if they were requested to. Only 40 per cent were aware of so-
called ‘citizens’ meetings’ in their communities; as few as 13 per cent
claimed to have attended such a forum. Indeed, fewer than one in five (19
per cent) had attended any political meeting since the end of war. Roughly
half this number (11 per cent) had attended an election meeting during the
campaign going on at the time of the survey. Nonetheless, the majority of
the Germans (80 per cent) indicated their intention to vote in the
upcoming federal elections; but two weeks before polling day, 69 per cent
had not decided for whom they would vote.
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Eventually, on Sunday 14 August 1949, around 31 million Germans
were called to cast a vote for the first German Bundestag and to decide
between a controlled economy and a Social Market Economy. Of those
eligible to vote 25 million actually went to the ballot boxes often set up in
restaurants and public houses; only the citizens of West-Berlin were not
allowed to vote, though they were indirectly represented in the federal
parliament by 20 non-voting delegates. Thus, contrary to the Allies’
apprehensions for a democratic Germany, 78.5 per cent of the eligible
voters exercised their right to vote, which was interpreted as clear
commitment to democracy. Asked why they voted, the largest number (27
per cent) responded that it was their duty, 18 per cent hoped to defeat
communism, an equally large percentage expressed partisan reasons
(voting for or against a particular party), and 14 per cent hoped to achieve
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better conditions.