Freedom with Responsibility
Anthony James Nicholls(Author)
Clarendon Press
Published on 1. July 1994
Book
Hardback
435 pages
978-0-19-820425-1 (ISBN)
Description
This study goes behind the success story of the Federal Republic of Germany since World War II to examine the principles underpinning the so-called "economic miracle". West Germany's Economics Minister, Ludwig Erhard, maintained that his social market economy worked because it consisted of sound economic principles applied with common sense and consistency. It was a serious attempt to harness the dynamic forces of free-market competition while avoiding the damaging social problems created by unfettered laissez-faire. The author examines the intellectual origins and history of the concept of the social market economy, and its implementation in the difficult years of post-war devastation and recovery in West Germany. He traces the struggle of liberal economists to assert their ideas in the unfavourable circumstances from 1933 to 1948, when they triumphed with Erhard's implementation of a policy of liberalization following currency reform. The book analyzes the extent to which West Germany's economic success was due to Erhard's policies, and assesses his attempts to attain the goals of the social market up to 1963, when he became Federal Chancellor.
The social market economy remains the official policy of the Federal Republic today, and must face up to new challenges in the former German Democratic Republic. This study makes a contribution to the understanding of the historical dynamics of the German economy and the political culture of the Federal Republic.
The social market economy remains the official policy of the Federal Republic today, and must face up to new challenges in the former German Democratic Republic. This study makes a contribution to the understanding of the historical dynamics of the German economy and the political culture of the Federal Republic.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oxford University Press
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
bibliography
ISBN-13
978-0-19-820425-1 (9780198204251)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Liberal economics in crisis - the Weimar period; the origins of neo-liberalism - depression and dictatorship; neo-liberalism and its enemies - National Socialism and social democracy; the struggle against collectivism, 1933-1945; West Germany in ruins - the aftermath of defeat; neo-liberalism in the immediate post-war period; Ludwig Erhard and the origins of the social market economy; the social market and the crisis in the German economy, 1947-1948; theory into practice - the struggle over policy, 1948; Erhard as Economics Director in Bizone; Erhard and the CDU; the SPD and the social market economy; Erhard and the Korean Crisis; the SPD and the struggle for reform; Erhard and the realization of the social market economy; the SPD and the triumph of reform; the social market economy in retrospect.