To what extent did of the following contribute towards
the collapse of Weimar democracy: a weak; constitution, economic crises, and
political extremism of the left and the right? (Specimen exam paper)
Intro:
Thesis –
Paragraph 1: weak
constitution
v If offered new
corporatist (getting businessmen/politicians cooperate and sort things out) to
ways of attempting to reconcile basic social divisions and it laid down the
foundations for an expansion of the welfare state
v Universal suffrage,
freedom of speech, balanced power, collision government
v The German democracy
was stymied (impeded) from the beginning
v Political chaos caused many to loose faith in the new democratic
system
v Doubtful whether such a
democratic constitution would work in the hands of a people that was neither
physiologically nor historically prepared for self-government
v Image of the social
dissonances (lack of harmony in) German society
v It was a hodge-podge of
principals drawn from Socialist and liberal agendas; it represented so much
confusion in regard to economic objectives and unresolved class conflicts
v Constitution gave the
President, the states and the army too much power, whilst proportional voting
meant tat the Reichstag was divided and weak
v Gave the President power in ‘times of emergency’
v President was given emergency powers; ‘In the event that the public
order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered, the Reich President
may take the measures necessary for their restoration.
v The Reich President may, if the public safety and order in the
German Reich are considerably disturbed or endangered, take such measures as
are necessary to restore public safety and order. If necessary he may intervene with the help of the armed
forces. For this purpose he may be
suspended, either partially or wholly, the Fundamental Rights (personal freedom
from arrest, sanctity of the home, secrecy of telephone and postal
communications, free speech and free press, freedom of assembly, and
association and protection of private property) On demand of the Reichtag these
measures shall be repealed
v The election of 1932 left Hindenburg (President) and Papen (chief
adviser) with the problem that they still couldn’t get enough support in the
Reichtag to pass laws. They
offered Hitler post of Vice-Chancellor in return for his support, as Nazis were
biggest party, but Hitler demanded Chancellor. Government thought they could control Hitler, but within 18
moths, Hitler had made himself dictator of Germany
v Article 53 allowed the President to appoint the Chancellor
Paragraph 2: economic
crisis
v Germany was in a state
of economic chaos; food was in a short supply and much of the workforce had
been killed or injured during the conflict
v War production fell
with the end of hostilities
v Men returning from the front
demanded jobs that weren’t there
v Allied blockade
continued until 1919; Over ¼ million people died of starvation and Influenza
v In 1919, Versailles
deprived Germany of 75% of her iron ore resources and 15% of her arable lands
v
Some Germans, especially the military still resented the government
for signing the Treaty of Versailles, claiming that if Germany could or would
have won the war if negotiations had not been called. This became the ‘stab in the back’ legend. Ebert and other members of the SPD became
known as the ‘November Criminals.’
v
Weimar had great problems gaining acceptance throughout Germany
too. The harsh conditions of the
Treaty of Versailles angered Germans and many directed their resentment at the
Weimar – quite unfair as they had little choice but to sign
v 1921, reparations sum
of £6,600 million aggravated inflammatory problems as Weimar governments reeled
out bank notes to meet payments
v With no goods to trade
will the government resorted to printing off even more paper money to meets it
debts
v Prices rose, people
lost savings, diminishing standard of living, wages ceased to have any real
value, unemployment
v Middle class hated
Weimar
v Industrials were able
to build new factories at little cost, the government was a heavy borrower and
their National debt within Germany was wiped out, landowners could pay off
mortgages.
v Dawes Plan spread
reparations payments over a longer period and gave Germany a loan of 800
Million Gold Marks, which placed the currency on a stable footing, rather than on
paper values. This heralded an era
of ‘recovery’
v Wall Street Crash
(1929)
v German economic
historian Borchhardt is critical of Weimar’s economic performace in the
1920s. He argues that the state
was living beyond its means, with both subsidies and the redistribution of
wealth harmful to economic growth.
v The historian
Abelshauser concluded that ‘the Weimar Republic was an over-strained welfare
state’ as the economic growth of the recovery period was insufficient to meet
the growing aspirations and served to retard industrial advance and increase
the elite’s alienation from the new democratic regime because they wanted to
break the power on the union and complained about the ‘political wages’ that
were set up by arbitrators appointed by government.
Paragraph 3:
political extremism
v
By early Nov 1918 many cities had been taken over by workers’ ad
soldiers’ councils. This was very
similar to what happed in Russia during the Communist takeover of 1917 ad
politicians were fearful of another communist takeover in Germany itself
v
From 1919 to 1923, there was a series of attempted revolutions in
Germany, some by Communists – who hoped to take advantage of the situation and
follow the example of Russia – other right wing nationalists who blamed the
government for accepting the treaty and tried to overthrow it
v In March 1919, what was
left of the Germany Communists attempted another takeover. The Free Corps was called in to crush
them and within a few days had killed 1000 people. Ebert had ordered that anyone seen carrying a weapon was to
be shot dead. The Free Corps once
again saved the government and restored order.
v Uprisings; Spartacist
uprising, Barvarian uprising, Kaap Putsch, and Beer Hall Putsch
v In Jan 1919 50,000 Spartacists rebelled in Berlin, led by Rosa
Luxenburg and Karl Leibknecht
v In 1919, Communist Workers’ Councils seized power all over Germany,
and a Communist ‘People’s Government’ took power in Bavaria
v In 1920, after the failure of the Kaap Putch, a parliamentary group
called the Red Army rebelled in the Ruhr
v The Kaap Putch in March 1920, a Freikorp brigade rebelled against
the Treaty. It took over Berlin
and tried to bring back the Kaiser
v Nationalist terrorist groups murdered politicians including
Erzberger who signed the armistice
v 8-9Nov 1923, Hitler’s Nazis tried to take control of Bavaria (Munich
Putsch)
Conclusion:
Why was the Weimar state set up as a democratic state in
Germany, and why did it fail to fulfill its promise and purpose? (May 2010)
Intro:
Thesis –
Paragraph 1: set up
as a democracy
v Born of military defeat
v High command under Ludendorff and Hindenburg sensed the
inevitability of defeat and tried to ease the way towards armistice with the
Allies by advising Kaiser Wilhelm II to appoint Prince Max as Chancellor. A powerful underlying motive was the
army’s desire to avoid any direct blame for Germany’s surrender
v Allied response was unfavorable as President Wilson argued that the
German power structure was still intact and that he could deal only with a real
democracy
v Civil war as rival groups from the left competed for power
v England encouraged democracy because they are more vulnerable to
foreign influence and they are not as big as a military threat
v Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania,
Greece
v Self-determination
v
Fear of communism – 1917 Russian
revolution by Bolsheviks
Paragraph 2: failed
v The German states had too much power and often ignored the
government
v The army led by the right-wing General Hans von Seeckt was not fully
under government control as he failed to support them during the Kaap Putch or
the crisis of 1923
v Many government officials, especially judges were right-wing and
wanted to destroy the government.
After the Kaap Putch, 700 rebels were tried treason; only 1 went to
prison. After the Munich Putch,
Hitler went to prison for only 9 months.
v President was given emergency powers; ‘In the event that the public
order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered, the Reich President
may take the measures necessary for their restoration.
v The Reich President may, if the public safety and order in the
German Reich are considerably disturbed or endangered, take such measures as
are necessary to restore public safety and order. If necessary he may intervene with the help of the armed
forces. For this purpose he may be
suspended, either partially or wholly, the Fundamental Rights (personal freedom
from arrest, sanctity of the home, secrecy of telephone and postal
communications, free speech and free press, freedom of assembly, and
association and protection of private property) On demand of the Reichtag these
measures shall be repealed
v Could pass laws
v 1929 there was crisis on Wall Street, which led to a drop on German
economy
v Reichtag suggested cutting wages and unemployment pay – there was an
outcry buy the government used Article 48 to pass the law it wanted
v The election of 1932 left Hindenburg (President) and Papen (chief
adviser) with the problem that they still couldn’t get enough support in the Reichtag
to pass laes. They offered Hitler
post of Vice-Chancellor in return for his support, as Nazis were biggest party,
but Hitler demanded Chancellor.
Government thought they could control Hitler, but within 18 moths,
Hitler had made himself dictator of Germany
v Article 53 allowed the President to appoint the Chancellor
v 1923-1929 saw a remarkable recovery and greater stability
(‘Stresemann era’)
v Stesemann was the leader of the DVP, first Chancellor in 1923 and
then the Foreign Minister until 1929
v Economic developments includes; the stabilization of the currency in
the form of the Rentenmark and an agreement on reparations with the Allies in
1924 known as the Dawes Plan
v Massive investment followed, mostly from the US, which enabled
German industry to recover almost to 1913 levels, despite the loss of resources
and land in 1919
v Stresemann stabilized Germany’s international relations; he followed
the 1922 treaty with Russia and another in 1926, participated in a collective
defense pact at Locarno in 1925, and took Germany to the League of Nations in
1926
v Political stability as coalition governments functioned more or less
effectively, lubricated by political diplomacy of Stresemann
Conclusion:
Proportional
Representation and coalition government were intended to produce stability and
fair representation, yet proved fatal for democracy in Germany between 1919 –
1933. To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Nov.2010)
Intro:
Thesis –
Paragraph 1: intended
to produce stability and fair representation
v Influenced by European and American democracies
v Has the head of state, President who was elected by voters every 7
years
v Supreme court to interpret the consitution
v Reichsrat, an assembly of 67 representatives of the seventeen states
v Reichtag, elected by all Germans over 20, deputies were elected on
the basis of proportional representation and elections scheduled every four
years
v Chancellor and ministers proposed laws to Reichtag
v Checks and balances
v seats in parliament are more or less in proportion to votes cast
v Fewer votes are 'wasted', therefore greater participation may be
encouraged. FPTP may lead people into not voting for what they might see as a wasted
cause. Minority parties might end up with a much fairer representation.
Paragraph 2: fatal
for democracy
v President was given emergency powers; ‘In the event that the public
order and security are seriously disturbed or endangered, the Reich President
may take the measures necessary for their restoration.
v The Reich President may, if the public safety and order in the
German Reich are considerably disturbed or endangered, take such measures as
are necessary to restore public safety and order. If necessary he may intervene with the help of the armed
forces. For this purpose he may be
suspended, either partially or wholly, the Fundamental Rights (personal freedom
from arrest, sanctity of the home, secrecy of telephone and postal
communications, free speech and free press, freedom of assembly, and
association and protection of private property) On demand of the Reichtag these
measures shall be repealed
v Could pass laws
v 1929 there was crisis on Wall Street, which led to a drop on German
economy
v Reichtag suggested cutting wages and unemployment pay – there was an
outcry buy the government used Article 48 to pass the law it wanted
v The election of 1932 left Hindenburg (President) and Papen (chief
adviser) with the problem that they still couldn’t get enough support in the Reichtag
to pass laes. They offered Hitler
post of Vice-Chancellor in return for his support, as Nazis were biggest party,
but Hitler demanded Chancellor.
Government thought they could control Hitler, but within 18 moths,
Hitler had made himself dictator of Germany
v Article 58 allowed the President to appoint the Chancellor
v The German states had too much power and often ignored the
government
v The army led by the right-wing General Hans von Seeckt was not fully
under government control as he failed to support them during the Kaap Putch or
the crisis of 1923 Doubtful whether such a democratic constitution would work in the
hands of a people that was neither physiologically nor historically prepared
for self-government
v Wasn’t unified and too
many influences
v Constitution gave the
President, the states and the army too much power, whilst proportional voting
meant tat the Reichstag was divided and weak
v Gave the President power in ‘times of emergency’
v The system of proportional voting led to 28 parties. This made it impossible to establish a
majority in the Reichstag, and led
to frequent changes in the government.
v Image of the social
dissonances (lack of harmony in) German society
v It was a hodge-podge of
principals drawn from Socialist and liberal agendas; it represented so much
confusion in regard to economic objectives and unresolved class conflicts
v Many government officials, especially judges were right-wing and
wanted to destroy the government.
After the Kaap Putch, 700 rebels were tried treason; only 1 went to
prison. After the Munich Putch,
Hitler went to prison for only 9 months.
v Constitution provided
an open framework for an experiment in democracy, which would have been quite
capable of further refinement under more favorable circumstances
v It brought different
groups into new order
v If offered new
corporatist (getting businessmen/politicians cooperate and sort things out) to
ways of attempting to reconcile basic social divisions and it laid down the
foundations for an expansion of the welfare state
v Helped to make a
transition to a peacetime economy
v Universal suffrage,
freedom of speech, balanced power, collision government
v Stresemann organized an alliance of the moderate, pro-democracy
parties. This meant for the first
time the government could get a majority in the Reichtag and pass the laws it
wanted
Conclusion:
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