Social engineering projects in West and East Germany in the 1970s: key approaches and practices

The article analyzes theoretical approaches to understanding human nature and the prospects for its development in West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany, or FDR) and East Germany (the German Democratic Republic, or GDR) in the 1970s. The term “engineering” in this context refers not only to governmental agendas that dictate human transformation goals and methodologies, but also to scholarly inquiries and discussions on the subject. Philosophers, sociologists, and educators’ manifestos and writings offer evidence of these changes and help reconstruct social engineering projects. They also identify the theoretical foundations behind visions of the future. In West Germany, there was a shift away from the religious-philosophical understanding of humanity as inherently predisposed to kindness, which had been prevalent in the 1960s. There was also a lot of debate in the 1970s about whether pacifism could be instilled in inherently aggressive individuals. During this time, education also became more politicized, with teachers aiming to shape a worldview centered on key liberal values such as freedom, democracy, and tolerance. At the same time, two projects of humanity were implemented in East Germany. The first one was the state project, which aligned with the idea of socialist building and emphasized that only socialism could fully guarantee peace worldwide. The second project was implemented by the evangelical church and educated young people about peace in a way that reflected a different understanding of humanity similar to Christian humanitarian pedagogy. By the 1970s, such ideas had lost their popularity in West Germany.