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GERMAN “SPECIAL PATH” (SONDERWEG) IN CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS: CONSCRIPTION AND THE CONCEPT OF INNER LEADERSHIP (INNERE FÜHRUNG) AS DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF THE ARMED FORCES?
Marko Lucić
Abstract
The post-World War II forming of the German Armed forces has been a global, but above all German sensitive issue, among other things because of the burden of the past that was often emphasized. Therefore, the army of West Germany (Bundeswehr) had to be adapted to civil democratic value system, by consensus of political structures. Opposite to the post-Cold War trend of professionalization of the armed forces, nowadays prevailing in NATO member countries, Germany sustains conscription. This article tries to show that conscription, along with the concept of “inner leadership” (Innere Führung), primarily by its political legitimation represents a specific way of (democratic) “bridging” the civil-military gap in Germany.
Keywords
Federal Republic of Germany; conscription; inner leadership; democratic control; civil-military relations
Hrčak ID:
47722
URI
Publication date:
17.12.2009.
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