Following the traumatic experience of National Socialism and the subsequent reluctance of the majority of citizens to engage in politics, the post-war period saw the dominance of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which became the leading political force within West Germany for more than a decade. Its ascent was facilitated by a greater political commitment, coupled with a development of successful administrative and economic unification within the Western territories. These factors led to the eventual acceptance of the possibility of a unified West German state.