 |
Jensen
Shares Political Insights in Germany
Debates over the role of the federal government and revamping the welfare system and a burgeoning campaign finance scandal may sound like headlines out of Washington, but those elements are all part of the current political scene in Germany. The parallels between the two systems are similar enough that some German politicians, academics and government officials look to the U.S. to see how it all works or doesn't work here. It was that interest that took assistant professor of Political Science Laura Jensen to Germany in January to deliver a series of lectures on welfare reform and federalism. The three-city tour was arranged by the U.S. Department of State after Jensen discussed her research interests with an embassy official during the American Political Science Association annual conference in 1997. "My primary research is on social policy in the U.S., including the development of the American welfare state and recent reforms," says Jensen, who is affiliated with the Center for Public Policy and Administration. Although Germany has a far more extensive welfare system and a deeply imbued federal tradition born during the post-war occupation, Jensen says "the developments there are not unlike the developments here." During her visits to Stuttgart, Berlin and Tübingen, she says, "The audiences were very interested in what's going on in the U.S. with welfare reform." QQAlthough some of the Germans had lived in the U.S. and were somewhat familiar with the American welfare system, Jensen says part of her talks focused on clearing up various misconceptions. "Part of what I was doing was providing a better sense of the American welfare state," she says. "There is a general perception that no social safety net exists in the U.S." During her presentations, Jensen outlined the many changes wrought by the 1996 federal welfare reform law, known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Along with providing a historical context for her audience, Jensen discussed some of the specific changes brought about by the legislation. "They were surprised about the sort of reforms we're pursuing here," she says, "such as giving more latitude to the states to design their own welfare systems." The move to decentralize governmental activities in the U.S. mirrors a growing pressure in Germany to revamp the federal system and give more authority to the states, she says. The idea of work requirements for welfare recipients is less radical in Germany, she says, where there are already similar rules. Unlike the U.S. however, she notes Germany has more extensive child care and public transportation systems that reduce the burdens imposed by American "workfare" rules, which often impact single mothers. Jensen said the German audiences were also very intrigued by "the somewhat valid claims of success" of the U.S. welfare reform movement. According to Jensen, the success or failure of welfare reform is still an open question. While the legislation certainly put an end to what President Clinton calls "welfare as we knew it," social scientists have so far been unable to document the results. "It's no surprise that all the politicians are calling it a success," says Jensen. "But we really have no idea what's happened to the people leaving welfare." The patchwork system of allowing states to fashion their own welfare programs and tracking systems has caused a huge upheaval for social researchers, she says. "One of the biggest consequences of welfare reform is that it has entirely changed the landscape for research on policy," says Jensen. "It's a real problem in terms of policy analysis." Because welfare benefits and programs vary so widely from state to state, says Jensen, it's extremely difficult to gain any insights into what is happening across the country. "It takes as much effort in one state as it used to do a national study." Along with sharing her views on aspects of American government, Jensen gained some insight into German politics. By chance, Jensen happened to be visiting the new Reichstag building in Berlin just as a campaign finance scandal forced former Chancellor Helmut Kohl to step down as leader of the Christian Democratic party. "Everybody's shocked," says Jensen. "If you're from a minority party, it's just considered heinous." The fallout from the Kohl scandal may have wider repercussions, she says, as calls for federal reform accelerate. On her last night in Germany, Jensen attended a working dinner with members of a new committee on federal reform -- an effort initiated by the Bavarian parliament. "It's very intriguing," says Jensen. "It's the equivalent of a state legislature calling for an overhaul of the federal government." |
||
|
|
