By the beginning of the 1960s, West Germans had made themselves at home in their country. Membership in NATO and the economically prosperous EEC brought them security and affluence. At the end of the decade, though, members of the post-war generation called the societal consensus into question. They regarded the policies of the governing Christian Democratic Party as conservative and paternalistic and criticized its politicians for not responding to the societal challenges posed by technological progress. Willy Brandt, successor to Georg Kiesinger and the first Social Democratic chancellor, | | summarized the necessary "inner reforms" in his inaugural speech with the phrase "daring more democracy." Equal chances for all and democratization were the political goals of the Social Democratic-Liberal government. Educational policy was a key to the reforms, since democratic values could be conveyed to all citizens through education in schools, vocational colleges, adult education centers and universities. Many artists and teachers shared the excitement of this new beginning.
|