1919-33 Government handicapped by Weimar constitution question

Question 1

Proportional representation and government negatives

Answer 1

Too many parties made it difficult to find a majority e.g no parties won more than 40% of the in the 1920s - only SPD got 38% at most in 1919.
Parties too self interested and uncooperative, so coalitions were unstable - bet 1919-30 there were 16 coalitions.
Article 48 emergency clause to rule by presidential decree - used and abused after 1930, and led to the increasing irrelevance of the Reichstag
Multi party politics also difficult in 1930 when Muller’s Grand Coalition broke up over disagreements over the unemployment benefit.

Question 2

Proportional representation and government positives

Answer 2

Ultra-democratic - appealed to the people not only for democratic aspects eg woman being able to vote, but also because it was thought the Allies would be more sympathetic for a democratic government.
President and Chancellor now accountable to the Reichstag
Bill of Rights

Question 3

Other threats: Economic problems in the Weimar Republic facts

Answer 3

Germany too dependant on US loans, leading to being dragged down with them in the 1929 Wall Street crash
It was the disagreement over unemployment benefits that broke up the last Weimar coalition

Question 4

Other threats to Weimar: Economy facts 2

Answer 4

Unemployment reached 5.6 million in 1932, also business failures and bankruptcy, making intense pressure on gov finance.
Industrial production declined by more than 40% after 1929.

Question 5

Other threats to Weimar: political extremists

Answer 5

Spartacist Revolt 1919 - left wing, stopped by Freikorps
Kapp Putsch 1920 - right wing, stopped by left wing strike
Organisational Consul - assassinated many incl Matthias Erzberger and Walter Rathenau. Broken up after around 500,000 protested against Rathenau’s assassination in Berlin
Beer Hall Putsch 1923

Question 6

Other threats to the Weimar: Crisis of 1923

Answer 6

WW1 left inflation and rising prices etc.
Ruhr Crisis - in response to lack of reparations payment, France and Belgium invaded Ruhr. Damaged economy further.
Mark becomes worthless.
Savings eradicated and standards of living reduced.