The Baader Meinhof Complex

The political and historical contexts in which the group took root are laid out in this movie. As the film starts, the police are shown beating unarmed demonstrators. According to Dargis (1), the visit by the Shah of Iran and his spouse has sparked the protests. In my opinion, the police are ruthless to the extent of violating human rights. In this context, citizens are denied the right to hold a peaceful demonstration. The biased environment with its politicians does not have the room for negotiations. Moreover, the assassination is a common thing meaning that there is a lot of injustice in this society. Having known there is inequality in the above mentioned setting, protestors are determined to accomplish their mission. They are not afraid of suffering or death, but commit to fighting discrimination. Hence, the laxity of the state agencies to act has seen the emergence of the bloodshed where killing peoples is considered by one of the “terrorists” in the faction as making fun.

This movie portrays the institutions as the corrupted places where the people cannot get justice. The people in the show are seen graduating from the theoretical debates to possessing and using the guns because government agencies have failed. Due to the prevailing conditions, they have changed from peaceful citizens to revolutionary martyrs. The above mentioned places encourage the growth of the gangs and protestors. Thus, they undermine the contemporary ideas in the society and are considered dens of death where whistleblowers are silenced with bullets. The agencies involved and the political elites cannot sit together with the activists to find an amicable solution. The politicians are resistant and repulsive to changes, thereby, encouraging more violence within the society.

Work Cited

Dargis, Manohla. The Journalist who exchanged her typewriter for a Gun. 2009. Web.

Available at: <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/movies/21baader.html?_r=0>.

20th and 21th Century: Rulers, governments, politics

German government and politics in the early 20^th century centered on expansion into to every European nation. Wilhelm II government adopted both domestic and foreign policies, which contributed to increasing tensions in Europe. German nationalism, imperialism, and   militarism alongside Wilhelm II diplomatic and personal belligerence all contributed to the outbreak of WWI (Tipton 249). In particular, Wilhelm administration was working on The Schrieffer Plan (Tipton 255). It represented a total shift from the Bismarck policies, which centered on peaceful co-existence. The politics marked a new aggressive move to become a leading power. Whereas other heads of states exercised, caution Wilhelm was quick to assert German intentions and interests. In the aftermath of the disastrous World War I, German remained in turmoil providing an ideal setting for the rise of war driven political leader and extremist ideologies. The end of World War I saw German become a Weimar Republic featuring a quasi-democratic regime with Friedrich Ebert and succeeded by Paul Hindenburg (Tipton 373).

However, with continued turmoil and the threat from Communist control, Adolf Hitler offered solutions. He maintained that German problems attributed to democracy and the Jews. The Nazi party used this clever tactics seeing Hitler ascend to power in 1933 (Tipton 459). Immediately Hitler began laying the foundation for the Nazi state. With the Nazi ideology, anti-Semitism arose resulting in the persecution of Jews. Hitler directed the Germany foreign policy towards contravening the Treaty of Versatile to restore Germany position on the world stage leading to WWII. In the after match of WWII, German divided into two blocks. On one, side the East Communist Germany and West Germany, which government by a democratic government (Fulbrook 123). With the collapse of the Soviet Union, German reunified to one Federal Republic. Helmmut Kohl from Christian Democratic Union became Chancellor for a reunified Germany from 1991 to1998. Gerhad Schroder of the Social Democratic Party served as German Chancellor from 1988 to 2005 succeeded him. Today Angel Markel heads German, as the first female Chancellor affiliated to the Christian Democratic Party (Fulbrook 224).

Works Cited

Fulbrook Mary. A History of Germany 1981-2008: The Divided Nation. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2011, Print.

Tipton Frank. A history of Germany Since 1815, London: A&C Black, 2003 Print

18th and 19th Century: German industries and labor conditions

Industrial revolution characterized the 18^th and 19^th centuries. From a largely rural and agricultural based economy, German transformed to be one of the leading economies in Europe. In 1784, German constructed it first textile factory. Mining companies then took shape with coal and iron taking a leading role. Following the abolishment of trade barriers between German states in 1834, the demand for goods increased (Tan 1). The mining industry expanded further providing income to a large population. Many of the rural villages particularly the Southern Ruhr merged to become cities due to growth of new factories. Besides, with the construction of the railway line, numerous other companies in electrical and chemical fields emerged across the country. At the close of the 19^th century, German had a booming industrial sector. While German growth in industries began a century later than Britain, by the close of the 19th century, it was leading in Steel, mechanical and electrical, as well as chemical industries. 

In the18th and 19th centuries, labor conditions were poor (Macro History 1). Many of the workers in the mining sector faced the most appalling conditions. As a result, Bismarck promoted laws that aimed to protect social insurance and working conditions. These laws compelled employee to insure their employees and subsequently laws regulating working conditions, and working hours were passed (Macro History 2). However, child labor continued to be an issue of concern with women facing the heaviest brunt

Works Cited

Tan Terrence. The Industrial Revolution in Germany, 2012 Web http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/the-industrial-revolution-in-germany-5735/

Macro History. Labor Working Condition and Politics 18-19th centuries 2014 Web http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h49soc2.htm