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Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 October 2022

William Glenn Gray
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Indiana
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Summary

The book’s introduction explains why the years 1963 to 1975 were a period of tremendous experimentation in German foreign relations. A succession of relatively weak chancellors gave scope for cabinet members to push in various directions, whether this involved voracious weapons procurement, a single-minded battle against inflation, more generous development aid, or a tighter commitment to European integration. Even in periods of political instability, developments in West Germany had great import for Europe and the world beyond. Historiographically, the introduction stresses the broader historical relevance of German foreign relations: its study reveals the contested values of postwar Germans and how those priorities came to shape the international environment. Methodologically, the chapter presents a brief discussion of constructivism as outlined by political scientists Alexander Wendt and Susan Strange. International relations theory informs the book’s core question – how West Germans shaped and were shaped by the international system.

Type
Chapter
Information
Trading Power
West Germany's Rise to Global Influence, 1963–1975
, pp. 1 - 11
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Introduction
  • William Glenn Gray, Purdue University, Indiana
  • Book: Trading Power
  • Online publication: 14 October 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108341196.001
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  • Introduction
  • William Glenn Gray, Purdue University, Indiana
  • Book: Trading Power
  • Online publication: 14 October 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108341196.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • William Glenn Gray, Purdue University, Indiana
  • Book: Trading Power
  • Online publication: 14 October 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108341196.001
Available formats
×