The German question
The German question is - why aren't there more German questions?
According to from last week on the freedominfo website, there were 2,278 requests for information from German federal agencies in 2006, the first year of FOI at the federal level in Germany.
In contrast, UK central government bodies received 38,108 FOI requests in 2005, the first year here.
As the article states, the requesting of information from the German government seems to have got off to a slow start. Of course there are important differences between the role of federal government in the UK and Germany, and there are also differences in the FOI laws, but are they sufficient to explain the discrepancy (a ratio of 17 to 1) or is there something else going on here?
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Germans have traditionally been more accepting of government and less questioning of them.
Surely its because more is disclosed in Germany; they have a more localised government and a more democratic system.
FOI is only needed where the government doesnt want to release information, I think these numbers just show the UK is far more secretive then Germany.
Uh, how about most Germans are unaware of there being an FOI law, because the government is pretty hush-hush about it and passed the legislation without much fanfare.
I am German-American. I have lived in Germany virtually all my life and I am *gasp* actually interested in politics, but that bit of information has escaped even me.
As far as Germans being more accepting of government than country X (like the UK) I can only say "dream on!". Most people here grow up with a healthy amount of skepticism regarding government on state and federal level. Ask any German with half a mind and they'll laugh at a line like "I am from the government and here to help you."
Better system? Dunno. UK system seems to be working alright. There are systems out there that are a lot more flawed. Talk to anyone in the more flawed political systems and they'll probably tell you to be a good boy or girl and go vote for your favorite lesser of two evils, because as long as you can still choose democracy, the republic or whatever aren't quite dead yet. :P
Sorry to anyone who might feel offended, but honest to god Germany does not have a superior system. Maybe just differently flawed. ;)
Chris ^_^