Booklet 1: Political And Governmental Change 1918-33 Flashcards
The second reich
Semi-absolutist regime
Chancellor and ministers appointed by kaiser
Reichstag didn’t control gov
Why was a new constitution necessary?
Revolution from above- kaiser created new democratic gov to encourage sympathy
Political parties wanted new constitution
Kaiser abdicated
SPD (social Democratic Party)
Ebert
Working class, industrial workers
Democratic, anti extreme left wing
Support social reform
USPD (independent socialists)
Broke away from SPD in 1917
Rejected democracy- workers soviets
KPD (German communist party)
Thalman
Working class
Hostile to republic
Opposed tov, influenced by USSR
Centre party
Erzberger, bruning, von papen
Catholics
Support republic
Supported policy of fulfilment with tov
DDP (German Democratic Party)
Business interests, middle class
Supports republic and reform
DVP (German people’s party)
Stresemann
Business, industrialists
Policy of fulfilment
DNVP (German national people’s party)
Wanted monarchy to return
Conservative, anti semitic
Nationalists
NSDAP (nationalist socialist German workers party)
Hitler
Extreme right wing, anti-republican, anti-Semitic
Old constitution main features
Kaiser was an inherited position
Elected by all men 25 or over
Laws had to be passed by Bundestag which represents states
New constitution main features
President - 35 or over
Elected by men or women over 20
Reichsrat replaced bundesrat
Strengths of the new constitution
Considerable democratic freedoms for German people
Men and women over 20 could vote
President elected every 7 years
Weaknesses of new constitution
One seat for every 60,000 votes (pr)
No one party could get a majority
Article 48 meant chancellor could rule by decree
Use of article 48 Ebert
The exercise of emergency powers was successful
In its first few years of existence it was a stabilising factor of Weimar
Only one failure - army revolted against gov In kapp putsch
Use of article 48 Hindenburg
Believed in authority and that parliament was the enemy of any good gov
Believed in authoritarian gov
Used it 60 times in 1932
Political divisions
Despite the strengths of the SPD (most popular party) the refusal of other left wing parties to work with them meant they had to form coalitions with centrist parties
These coalitions were unstable and frequently collapsed
Longest coalition gov lasted 2 yrs
Parties didn’t support the republic
The DNVP was monarchist and opposed the republic
Parties prioritised their own vote as opposed to helping democracy
There was no popular centre right party
How did extremist parties weaken the Weimar Republic?
Young men were interested in violence
Promise of economic change
Depression gave nazis more votes
By 1932 52% voted against democracy
The failure of the republic wasn’t due to political parties?
SPD remained in power consistently- positive as they founded constitution
1928 65% of voters voted for democratic parties, mullers coalition, Nazis only 2%
Coalitions worked at times, muller coalition of moderates, reduced reparations
SPD 1924-28
Refuses to be in government
Difficult to pass legislation
Undermined the function of democracy
Weak political leadership
Hindenburg often ruled by decree, authoritarian powers
Denied muller article 48 and gov collapsed
Did little to restrain Hitlers growing power
Ebert strengths and weaknesses for Weimar
In short term he bought the regime time and kept the republic going
Erbert groener pact gave army too much independence
Acceptance of Versailles was unpopular
Stresemann strengths and weaknesses for Weimar
Persuaded many people to support the constitution
Oversaw major economic reform
His foreign policy wasn’t popular with the right wing at home
