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I’m curious. How is politics played in your State/Province/Region? What qualities are required in a leader? Do they rule by consensus or by fear? Are the colourful characters or steady managers? What does the electorate respond to? What are the issues that always crop up? Who or what is seen as a threat? What ideologies are popular? What sorts of things does a Government that is seen as being good do? What do people see as the role of Government, and what do they expect from it? Enlighten me.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

I’m curious. How is politics played in your State/Province/Region?

In Germany, students of law and social studies enter one of the 4 or 5 established parties and work their way up. By several laws of financial support of parties by the state, and some rather high limits as to when a political party is recognised as one, it is an established class of society which does "the works" in politics, with close affiliations to lobby groups and NGOs.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

What qualities are required in a leader?

Sometimes, to be the only one surviving. Old chancellor Kohl squelched any attempt to raise from the ranks while he was the Grand Poobah of Germany, the CDU (his party) and everything.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

Do they rule by consensus or by fear?

Angela Merkel (present chancellor) works by consensus. As she's leading a big coalition of the twwo large parties, she has to. Her predecessor Schroeder ruled by leadership, his predecessor Kohl by fear.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

Are the colourful characters or steady managers?

Angela Merkel tries very hard not to be too colourful. Successfully.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

What does the electorate respond to?

Hm ... to "hey, electorate, over here!!" ?

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

What are the issues that always crop up?

The usual: unemployment, immigration issues, threat of decreasing personal wealth.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

Who or what is seen as a threat?

Depends. Sometimes (bird flu times) it's literally "to chicken out", but there is both a threat from fundamentalist immigrants as well as from Neonazis to be observed.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

What ideologies are popular?

With its established cloass of politicians, people are rather subservient than independent … and take revenge by bickering about "those guys up there". Luckily, we have rather weak influence from organised religions (churches) and rather isolated unions. But the predominant German ideology today is, in my guess, pessimism, in its guise of forced optimism.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

What sorts of things does a Government that is seen as being good do?

The government is, at the moment, working very hard to find a way out of the state debt/budget misery as well as clearing up bureaucratic overgrowth. As this work is done by bureaucrats, I look forward to seeing Sisyphos' job finished first.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

What do people see as the role of Government, and what do they expect from it?

Provision of social security and wealth, building of even more motorways, but preferably not in my backyard.

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

Enlighten me.

You are an enlightened person.

I didn't expect many responses - this sort of stuff is often either considered arcane or a bit silly ('what? there's nothing odd about my state/country'!). But I'm glad I got one, and from Germany too, which was one of the places I was curious about.

Question: Is German nationalism/ideas of strong leadership (?) likely to make issues for greater EU integration?

Lord_Morningstar wrote:

I didn't expect many responses - this sort of stuff is often either considered arcane or a bit silly ('what? there's nothing odd about my state/country'!). But I'm glad I got one, and from Germany too, which was one of the places I was curious about.

Question: Is German nationalism/ideas of strong leadership (?) likely to make issues for greater EU integration?

As far as I can see, no. Xenophobia does … with the ongoing debate about failed cultural integration, the EU hopefuls Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey are seen as a "barbarian invasion" by "nationalists" in Germany.
But that's just one of the general EU topics, the one who joins last is the one with the greatest expectations (and demands). I'm not sure whether and when a time will come when the EU is being seen as something more than a pot of gold that'll be dished out to clean up deficient infrastructure and agriculture.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 16-4542000

follow the link and read pretty straight Guy's it's one of the best analysis of the rise of Bliar and his political credo-

It also resonates quite well wit the states - and how many politcal notions have gone through quite a radical change during the last years of the 20 th century

some elements of the books are not new - particulalry the bread and circus view of the great unwashed who make up the bulk of the electorate.

What is new is a supposed left wing party using the fear factor so long a tool of the extreme right and the the murdoch press as a tool to gain popular support.