A West German Civil Movement in the 1970s: Opposition to the kooperative Schule in Nordrhein-Westfalen

This study examines the popular petition of 1978 against the introduction of the kooperative Schule in Nordrhein-Westfalen. As a result of this campaign, reforms initiated by the SPD were halted. The reforms had been directed at the eventual introduction of a comprehensive school system, which would have replaced Germany’s traditional three-track school system. Previous studies have usually presented the popular petition as either a reactionary movement against the reform or a victory for conservatives, including the CDU. However, the opposition movement represented a wide range of public opinion, with supporters of the SPD also participating in the movement. Furthermore, when the introduction of the kooperative Schule was abandoned, no positive impact was seen on the CDU’s election results. The event marked a change in the political culture of West Germany, as a sign of a new trend. With greater democratization and modernization in the 1960s and 1970s, civil society became more politically active. Such a pattern promoted the political participation of the public in West German society. In addition, the change was linked to the development of Western civil movements characterized by autonomy and non-partisanship.