West Germany: Internal Structures and External Relations

Although many recent publications deal with the substance of West German external relations, none (in English at any rate) focuses heavily upon the structure and processes of foreign policy-making. Thus, by covering the latter as well as the former, this translation of Pfetsch's book fills an important gap. The author provides a detailed, thorough, and precise outline of the institutions and instruments involved in West German foreign policy formulation. Choice

What internal functions affect foreign policy making? How do non-tangible forces, such as recent German history, public opinion, the nature of the economy, etc., play a part in overall German foreign policy? In examining these questions and others, Pfetsch provides detailed data on West German political, economic, social, and cultural performances that challenge the view that interprets relations solely as a result of international structures. West Germany in International Relations demonstrates how internal, as well international, factors shape foreign policy making.