Course Title：德意志联邦共和国的社会与经济转型

Germany sees itself as a country of parliamentary democracy. Elections and the protection of the basic rights of individual citizens are central. Apparently, all people are equal. There is a contradiction between these nice sounding legal structures and the reality. What exactly is this contradiction? Who are the decision-makers in Germany? We will look not only at parliament and the government, but also at the judiciary, the media and the associations that decide, for example, on the funding of scientific projects or cultural development and even the promotion of sport. Particular attention should be paid to business management, which makes many economic decisions that are important for the further development of the country. How are the decision-makers in each area selected? What are the criteria for elections, what are the criteria for co-optation? Which ‘elite’ has priority over others? What are the current results of these structures? How is income and wealth distributed? Are there equal opportunities in education and promotion to higher positions? How are the decision-making structures reflected in economic development? The results can be seen in the handling of digitalization and artificial intelligence, but also in the economic reactions to the war in Ukraine. In the German tradition, these changes are manifested in laws and other legal instruments. A basic knowledge of the problems and their legal manifestations will facilitate communication with German partners. The following topics are covered in detail: - Which institutions take which decisions? Who are the decision-makers? How do they get into their positions? - Legal equality and de facto inequality. Can certain areas of life be differentiated? - Changes in living and working conditions in the process of digitalization: transformation of existing jobs and (modest) start of the platform economy; incipient use of artificial intelligence (AI) - Reactions to the war in Ukraine. Imposition of sanctions as self-harm.