The policies of the Federal Republic of Germany towards the Third World are strongly determined by its peculiar history; public opinion is prepared to make certain sacrifices, but the development community is skeptical of traditional measures; the formulation of policies from below follows quite conservative guidelines, hence the response of the main politicians is of vital importance. On the other hand, in recent years German interests have been defined quite narrowly, in terms of export promotion, ensuring access to commodities and achieving a "good climate" for investments, leaving aside long-term interests to promote a new international order.