Alman Dış Politikasının Temel Belirleyicileri: Tarih, Ekonomi ve Güvenlik

This article tries to touch upon the dynamics that have more decisive role in shaping foreign policy of Germany, one of the strongest countries in the world, considering economical aspects. Because of the country’s historical and economical peculiarities, the article argues that the foreign policy of Germany has been mostly determined by history, economy and security. Examples help us to describe how influential, on defining the country’s foreign policy, was the burden that had caused by the violent internal and external policies of National Socialist administration led by Hitler. Surprisingly, such a historical fact has been one of the most essential elements in shaping foreign policy of Germany. It is also explained that Germany’s security concerns towards Soviet Union, the country that controlled an important piece of German territory for almost two-thirds time of its existence starting from 1949 under the name of East Germany, has led a rapprochement of German foreign policy to the line of USA. Furthermore, it was analyzed that German foreign policy is also very much affected by the country’s widely accepted characteristic as a ‘trading state’.