Growth of political extremism - Left Wing Flashcards
What did the Spartacus League do
staged an uprising in Berlin to overthrow Ebert’s government and set up a revolutionary communist regime.
What was the Spartacus League known as
the Spartacists
Who was the uprising led by ?
Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxembourg
What did the uprising manage to do ?
Newspaper offices and some public buildings were occupied.
2 reasons why the uprising failed ?
poorly supported
poorly prepared
why was the uprising poorly supported ?
the Spartacists had not secured the support of the majority of the working class in Berlin.
How was the uprising crushed ?
Ebert’s government relied upon the army.General Groener had few reliable military units at his command.He used the irregular force of the new Freikorps to crush the Spartacist rising after brutal street fighting.
What protected the Weimar government and secured the army’s protection ?
Ebert- Groener Pact.
What were the differing opinions within the left wing ?
SPD- committed to parliament democracy
KPD- wanted to overthrow the Kaiser and establish a communist state
USPD - pressed for socialist society within a parliament democracy.
Spartacist / KBD aims
Spartacist wanted a republican government controlled by workers and soldiers councils.Welfare benefits, nationalism, worker’s control of major industries.
Why couldn’t left wing groups succeed
Judges were anti democratic.They opposed socialism and social democracy ( right wing views ).Members of left wing groups were met with heavy punishments,
