German Foreign Policy and the Concept of 'Civilian Power'

Essay , 2006 , 14 Seiten

Politik - Thema: Deutsche Außenpolitik

The end of the Cold War in 1989/90 did not only prompt a fundamental transformation of the international system as a whole; it equally changed the expectations and perceptions of key nation-states acting within that system. This was, as most scholars of International Relations (IR) agree, especially true with regard to reunited Germany. In the run-up to the negotiations of the 'Two-plus-Four Treaty', many observers feared that the demise of the East-West confrontation might encourage the Federal Republic to completely strip off its post-war restraints and use its revamped resources and autonomy more forcefully.

By the same token, some European leaders — notably French President François Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — voiced concerns that a resurgence of German power politics seemed far from being just a theoretical possibility. Indeed, some indications of a renewed German propensity to 'go it alone' emerged even before the legal and political terms of unification had been clarified. Chancellor Kohl's '10 Points Plan' of November 1989 aroused deep scepticism. Even more alarmingly, German contributions to armed operations in Bosnia and Kosovo were perceived as incidents of a much more self-cofident security posture.

However, a vast majority of German politicians was eager to defuse their neighbours' suspicions, emphasising that they would retain their commitment to a culture of 'civilian power.' The country would remain a driving force for deeper and wider European integration as well as multilateralism within the frameworks of the UN, NATO and CSCE/OSCE. Yet, despite these efforts to address other states' concerns, some observers doubted whether Germany would actually be willing and able to stick to its 'leadership avoidance reflex' in the future.

Almost two decades after reunification, it might thus be worthwhile to ask: is Germany still a 'civilian power'? To answer this question, I will first describe different dimensions of political power as they are treated in IR theory and illustrate what 'civilian power' means in this context. Secondly, I will outline in how far particular concepts of foreign policy (FP) behaviour — the models of 'security', 'trading' and 'civilian states' — are capable of grasping the notion of civilian power. Section 4 relates these conceptual frameworks to important features of Germany's actual FP conduct before and after the watershed events of 1989/90.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Dimensions of Power in International Relations: Defining and Illustrating the 'Civilian' Component
• Civilian Power as an Explanatory Framework in IR Theory: A Brief Discussion of Different Notions of Statehood in Contemporary Foreign Policy Analysis
  • The 'Security State': Neorealism and the Goal of Maximising National Power in a Context of International Anarchy
  • The 'Trading State': Neoliberalism and the Goal of Maximising National Welfare in a Context of Economic Interdependence
  • The 'Civilian State': Constructivism and the Goal of Promoting National Values in a Context of Normative Change
• Germany's International Role after the End of the Cold War: Promoter of Norms, Global Trader or Rising Military Power?
  • Identity (Re-)Construction and the Legacy of Internal Division
  • The Foreign Policy of the Federal Republic since 1989/90: Major Trends and Developments
  • Bosnia and Kosovo as Critical Junctures: Civilian Ethos and Military Engagement as Complementary or Contradictory Elements within Germany's 'New' Foreign Policy Strategy?
• Conclusion: A Self-confident but Prudent Actor on the World Stage
• Abbreviations
• References

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This essay examines the concept of 'civilian power' in the context of German foreign policy. It aims to analyze whether Germany, after reunification, has remained a 'civilian power' or has shifted towards a more assertive and potentially militaristic approach. The essay explores different dimensions of power in international relations, particularly the 'civilian' component, and examines how these dimensions relate to different theoretical frameworks of foreign policy behavior, including the 'security state,' 'trading state,' and 'civilian state' models. The essay also analyzes key features of Germany's foreign policy conduct before and after the end of the Cold War, focusing on the country's role in international institutions and its involvement in military interventions.

• The concept of 'civilian power' and its application to German foreign policy
• The role of Germany in the international system after reunification
• The relationship between civilian ethos and military engagement in German foreign policy
• The influence of theoretical frameworks, such as neorealism, neoliberalism, and constructivism, on understanding German foreign policy
• The evolution of German foreign policy since the end of the Cold War

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction sets the stage for the essay by discussing the transformation of the international system after the end of the Cold War and the expectations surrounding a reunified Germany. It highlights concerns about a potential resurgence of German power politics and examines early indications of a renewed German propensity to act independently. The chapter also introduces the concept of 'civilian power' and its relevance to understanding German foreign policy.

Chapter 2 delves into the different dimensions of political power as they are treated in international relations theory. It defines 'civilian power' as a specific category of power that encompasses all three dimensions: attributes, relationships, and structures. The chapter explores how 'civilian powers' utilize domestic norms, soft power, and incentives to influence international behavior.

Chapter 3 examines different theoretical frameworks for understanding foreign policy behavior, focusing on the 'security state,' 'trading state,' and 'civilian state' models. It analyzes how these models relate to the concept of 'civilian power' and how they can be used to explain the foreign policy choices of states.

Chapter 4 applies these theoretical frameworks to the specific case of Germany. It examines the country's international role after the end of the Cold War, focusing on its identity reconstruction, foreign policy developments, and involvement in military interventions. The chapter analyzes the interplay between civilian ethos and military engagement in German foreign policy and explores the extent to which Germany has remained a 'civilian power' in the post-Cold War era.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include civilian power, German foreign policy, international relations, neorealism, neoliberalism, constructivism, security state, trading state, civilian state, post-Cold War era, reunification, identity, military engagement, and international institutions.

• Hochschule: London School of Economics (Department of International Relations)
• Autor: Dipl.-Pol., MSc (IR) Jan-Henrik Petermann (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2006
• Seiten: 14
• Katalognummer: V182614
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656062578
• ISBN (Buch): 9783656062325
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: german, foreign, policy, concept, civilian, power