The Independent View: Remembering Willy Brandt, the chancellor of change

By Vittorio Trevitt | Tue 10th June 2014 - 10:47 am

This May marked the 40^th anniversary of the resignation of Willy Brandt, chancellor of West Germany from 1969 to 1974, in the wake of a political scandal in which a close aide was revealed to be a spy for East Germany.

Despite the way in which he was forced to leave office, Brandt and his government (a coalition of socialists and liberals) left behind a legacy of radical reform that had turned West Germany into a fairer society, and remains an inspiration to progressives today.

Elected in 1969, Brandt inspired many people with his calls for greater democracy and experiments in the domestic sphere. Over the next five years, Brandt’s socialist-liberal government did much to meet people’s expectations for change.

The social security system was greatly expanded, with improvements in existing benefits such as pensions, sickness payments, and family allowances. Health insurance coverage was extended to the self-employed and agricultural workers and dependents, preventive examinations were included in the basic health insurance package, and accident insurance was made available to students and pupils. A major overhaul of the pension system in 1972 introduced innovations such as a flexible retirement age at 63, a minimum pension for low-income earners with long career histories, and coverage for housewives and self-employed persons.

Educational opportunities were encouraged through measures such as the raising of the school leaving age to 16 and the introduction of a financial assistance scheme that enabled greater numbers of students to go into higher education. In the field of housing, new safeguards for tenants were introduced, while in the workplace measures were carried out such as requirements on occupational safety and the introduction of continued payment of wages in cases of sickness.

In the liberal sphere, Brandt’s government did much to further democratise German society. The voting age was reduced from 21 to 18, the right to public demonstration was liberalised, and a liberalisation of existing laws on censorship and homosexuality was carried out.

The breakdown of marriage as the sole ground for divorce was also introduced, and the duration of compulsory military service was reduced. Urban rehabilitation programmes were also actively encouraged, efforts were made to bring about improvements in the country’s railways and motorways, and a wide range of measures aimed at safeguarding the environment were passed.

The record of any progressive government should be judged by the extent to which that party contributed towards a lessening of inequalities within the society it led. By that definition, Brandt’s administration can be regarded as a success. Brandt and his ministers did much to transform West Germany into a fairer and freer society, and it is this positive which Willy Brandt should be remembered for.

* Vittorio Trevitt has written for Respublica, Democratic Audit, Catch 21, Fabian Society and Compass. He has also done voluntary work for the Labour Party, including campaigning on behalf of local candidates, carrying out research for speeches, and writing articles to raise awareness of important social issues. He believes in British socialists and liberals working together to achieve progressive ends, united by their commitment to equality, freedom, and justice.