This thesis aims to bring abstract conceptions of morality in politics into a current, comparative case study. It will compare the arms export policies of two Western democracies, Germany and the...Show moreThis thesis aims to bring abstract conceptions of morality in politics into a current, comparative case study. It will compare the arms export policies of two Western democracies, Germany and the UK, which are similar in many ways but have taken different stances on arms exports. It will consider a range of factors and compare them to account for the difference in arms policy. It looks at a variety of factors, including comparing political parties, civil society, public opinion, opposition politics and economics but ultimately concludes that the most important factors are historic accountability and the formation of government.Show less