Monday demonstrators in Bremen welcome federal president Horst Koehler (10 September 2007).
The Protests against Hartz IV reforms in
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
were aimed at the 2004
Hartz IV reform, which provide significant cutbacks in
social welfare benefits for long-term (over 12 months) unemployed persons.
The demonstrations started on 2 August, when about 10,000 people took part. In two weeks, over 100,000 people marched in over 100 German cities and towns, mostly in Eastern Germany (the former
GDR
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...
). In September, unemployment reached 10.5% of the workforce nationwide, while peaking at 18.2% in Eastern Germany; participation usually mirrored the level of unemployment in the respective area. In 2005, fewer demonstrations took place - only every second Monday of the month.
Neo-fascist
Neo-fascism is a post-World War II far-right ideology which includes significant elements of fascism. Neo-fascism usually includes ultranationalism, ultraconservatism, racial supremacy, right-wing populism, authoritarianism, nativism, xe ...
s started using the agitation of workless people for their propaganda.
"Movement of Monday Demonstrations in Important Process of Clarification"
The demonstrations were arranged and named the Monday demonstrations in an analogy with the 1989/1990 Monday demonstrations in East Germany
The Monday demonstrations () were a series of peaceful political protests against the government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The demonstrations began in Leipzig on 4 September 1989, starting the Peaceful Revolution in the GDR: the f ...
. Some considered this adaption to be political abuse, pointing out that these reforms are a "necessary evil" to deal with a crisis in the welfare system, and regard it as inadequate that protest
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration, or remonstrance) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate ...
s for democracy are turned into protests for more social benefits. The supporters of the rallies denounce this criticism as an attempt to stifle the protests of the affected people.
See also
*Agenda 2010
The Agenda 2010 is a series of reforms planned and executed by the German government in the early 2000s, a Social Democrats/ Greens coalition at that time, which aimed to reform the German welfare system and labour relations. The declared objectiv ...
of the German government
*Monday demonstrations in East Germany
The Monday demonstrations () were a series of peaceful political protests against the government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The demonstrations began in Leipzig on 4 September 1989, starting the Peaceful Revolution in the GDR: the f ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Monday demonstrations continue to grow in 2004
an
Protests against Hartz IV and Agenda 2010German Website against Hartz IV reforms
Conflicts in 2004
2004 in Germany
Protests in Germany
Welfare in Germany
2004 protests
August 2004 in Germany