society and welfare

• co-determination law of 1951 gave workers own representatives on management teams: companies with less than 2000 workers, 33% of workers and over 2000 50%
• standards of living fell as by 1955 11% had a fridge
• the media expressed ideas of the 'American way of life', more social mobility which created freedom and less people in agricultural sector, more people have disposable income
• the equalisation of burden law in 1952 eased social tensions
• 1951 law 131 restored employment and pension rights of civil servants; reconciled millions of middle class to the state however expensive and controversial
• legislation in 1950 provided relief for 4.5 million people
• trade unions was simplified with creation of 16 workers union- one per industry in 1949
• Dusseldorf agreement 1955 covered school criteria e.g., holiday lengths, A-levels and school standards, set subjects etc
• However Soviet zone put in place rapid educational reform while western zone never really saw any change
• western powers could not agree upon one common educational policy
• shortage of appropriate teaching materials e.g., all Nazi textbooks and Nazified teachers
• 1959 new school system led to fierce debate and eventually a student revolt
• article 3 on the basic law gave women equal rights (women only given this in Britain in 1974)
• law of equality of sexes 1957 helped women keep control of property after marriage
• average women's wage was 40% less than men
• by late 1970s women in higher education 50-50 to men
• social mobility grew more and people moved more into towns
• number of cars increased from 2 million in 1950 to 12.1 million in 1965 as people have disposable income
• under the 1951 reinstatement act, Many ex-Nazi's were re-employed in the civil service
• In Adenauer's foreign ministry 39/49 senior members were former Nazis
• refugees from east numbered 12-13 million
• West Germany had Gasarbeiter (geust workers)
• 1952 equalisation of burdens act which introduced a tax on property and funds not affected by the war and redistribruted to those most affected
• 430,000 houses built by 1952
• law 131 meant many ex-nazis could regain their jobs
• 40-80% civil servants were ex-Nazis