Godesberg Program
Encyclopedia
The Godesberg Program was the party program outline of the political course of Germany
's social-democratic
party, the SPD
. It was ratified on November 15, 1959, at an SPD party convention in the town of Bad Godesberg
, which is today part of Bonn
.
The Godesberg program was notable mainly because with it, for the first time, the SPD forswore all Marxist
ideas. In adopting the Godesberg Program, the SPD dropped its Marxism and hostility to capitalism, which had long been the core of party ideology, and sought to move beyond its old working class base to the full spectrum of potential voters, with an appeal to the middle class and to professionals.
Labor unions had abandoned the old demands for nationalization and instead cooperated increasingly with industry, achieving labor representation on corporate boards and increases in wages and benefits. The SPD, after losing national elections in 1953 and 1957, thus moved toward an American-style image-driven electoral strategy that stressed personalities, especifically Berlin mayor Willy Brandt
. As it prepared for elections in 1961, it proved necessary as well in 1960 to drop opposition to rearmament and to accept NATO.
The Godesberg Program was superseded in 1989 by the Berlin Program, resolved on the 20th of December 1989 at a party congress in Berlin
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's social-democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
party, the SPD
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
. It was ratified on November 15, 1959, at an SPD party convention in the town of Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg
Bad Godesberg is a municipal district of Bonn, southern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. From 1949 till 1990 , the majority of foreign embassies to Germany were located in Bad Godesberg...
, which is today part of Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
The Godesberg program was notable mainly because with it, for the first time, the SPD forswore all Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
ideas. In adopting the Godesberg Program, the SPD dropped its Marxism and hostility to capitalism, which had long been the core of party ideology, and sought to move beyond its old working class base to the full spectrum of potential voters, with an appeal to the middle class and to professionals.
Labor unions had abandoned the old demands for nationalization and instead cooperated increasingly with industry, achieving labor representation on corporate boards and increases in wages and benefits. The SPD, after losing national elections in 1953 and 1957, thus moved toward an American-style image-driven electoral strategy that stressed personalities, especifically Berlin mayor Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
. As it prepared for elections in 1961, it proved necessary as well in 1960 to drop opposition to rearmament and to accept NATO.
The Godesberg Program was superseded in 1989 by the Berlin Program, resolved on the 20th of December 1989 at a party congress in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
External links
- Godesberg Program in English (PDF) German History Documents. Retrieved July 6, 2010
- Godesberg Program Retrieved July 6, 2010