West German science policy since the early 1960's: trends and objectives |
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| Authors: | O Keck |
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| Institution: | Abteilung für Wissenschaftsforschung, Universität Ulm, Ulm, FRG |
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| Abstract: | The trends in West German science policy since the early 1960' are analyzed and compared to other industrially advanced countries. Government expenditures on research and development (R & D) are compared in their totality and also with regard to specific objectives such as defence, civil space, civil nuclear, general advancement of science, mining and manufacturing, agriculture, economic and social services.The trend of total government expenditure on R & D in West Germany iss characterized by a growth rate higher than in many other countries, such as the USA, the UK, France, Japan and the Netherlands. Also in each of the single objectives of government R & D, West German expenditure as a rule grew faster than in these countries. Among the different objectives, “general advancement of science” is given highest priority in West Germany, whereas the military sector is relatively small. In both trends and priorities, West Germany is more similar to Japan and the Netherlands than to the USA, the UK and France.The author discusses motives and intentions which may have affected these trends. He argues that West German science policy cannot be understood as a response to immediate economic problems, such as labour shortage or an alleged lag in technological progress in West German industry. In the early sixties West German science policy was still determined by efforts to catch up in certain technological fields from which West Germany had been excluded up to 1955 by allies' restrictions. In the late sixties, concern focussed on West Germany's long-term technological competitiveness in general. |
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