ABSTRACT
German national culture and its manifestations in the economy are utterly anti-communist. The role of the state in the economy and the social security net that have emerged as manifestations of German national culture, gives libertarianism-stamped Americans the impression that the economy in Germany is much more 'communist' than in the United States. The anti-communist attitude can be best shown by referring to the popularity of Ludwig Erhard, who was the long-term Minister for Economic Affairs in the first post-war period and then followed Adenauer as Chancellor. As much as the national-cultural notion of authority is to an extent reflected in the management of organizations, the idea of organicism is recognizable in the economic sphere as well. The term 'responsible autonomy' is not only central for economic institutions such as employers and unions, but is equally praised by industrial sociologists. In Germany, governmental power is devolved to the federal states and to the collective political strength of employers and labor.
