‘Inner unity’ ‐ Back to the community myth? A plea for a basic consensus

The Civic Cultureat 50: Change, Continuity and Challenges in the Federal Republic of Germany

“…91 And as profound economic dislocations and structural inequalities followed reunification, German political culture exhibited signs of ambivalent tension, 92 as evidence of a 'wall in the mind' was discovered, 93 thereby challenging long-held assumptions about convergence and 'inner unity'. 94 The present issue of German Politics contributes to these debates. It revisits core aspects of The Civic Culture providing a theoretically informed, empirical assessment of German political culture.…”

Germany at 60: Stability and Success, Problems and Challenges

“…As early as 1997, for example, Hans Joachim Veen claimed that inner unity had to all intents and purposes been achieved. 5 For Veen, there is widespread acceptance of constitutional norms, and there is very little willingness to fundamentally change Germany's Basic Law and with it its institutions of governance. Germans may not like politicians that much, but they have no wish whatsoever to throw in the towel as far as democracy is concerned.…”