overcoming challenges to democracy Flashcards
political and governmental change
why was German political culture a threat to the Republic?
many Germans conservative, unsympathetic to democracy, undermined it
why were people concerned about democracy (3 main reasons)?
gave power to uneducated people - little understanding of gov, power to poor - take away power + wealth of rich, based on discussion + elections - weak + indecisive
who was Bismarck + what was his influence on German political culture?
!st chancellor of Imperial Germany, strength, decisiveness, disliked democracy, ideal form of authoritarian German leader
why did the signing of Versailles cause resentment towards the Republic?
Gov seen as weak, people believed Germany could win, terms resented
what was popular militarism, why was it a threat to democracy?
support for army, belief army protected nation, hierarchal + aristocratic, never democratically accountable
what could ex-army men do in gov that undermined democratic values?
take a gov job, some gov services dominated by former soldiers making them hierarchal + undemocratic
what was the stab in the back myth?
that WW1 not lost by military but by politicians, communists + Jews, politicians signed armistice
why was the stab in the back myth formed?
propaganda promised victory, German army occupied French territory, army seen as invincible, army leaders didn’t want to be blamed
how did army leaders use the stab in the back myth?
insisted army + soldiers heroes, politicians weak, devious + unpatriotic
what was the attitudes towards soldiers, how did this undermine democracy?
respected, seen as front generation who fought and sacrificed for nation, stigmatised politicians as weak compared
what racist beliefs were linked to the German empire?
belief white European civilisation superior, support for colonialism, supported racial war + racial purity
how was anti-Semitism used to undermine democracy?
Jews blamed as causing defeat in war. linked to Republic, hatred for both
How was Social Darwinism linked to democracy being unnatural?
humans naturally unequal, strong should dominate weak, democracy gave equal political rights to unequal people
what did Anti-Semites believe a secret kaiser would do?
cleanse Germany of impure races
what was the consequence of Bismarck’s legacy + cult of the military?
view that political violence was justified
what did democratic politics rely on?
peace, freedom of dicsussion
what political assassination shows anti- Semitism in Weimar?
Walter Rathenau- involved in Versailles negotiations, minister, Jewish
what did the signing of Versailles rob the Republic of + why?
its legitimacy, associated with betrayal of country + treachery
what was German politics divided along?
political, religious and ethnic lines
why did the SPD not trust the liberals?
liberals supported banning of SPD, collaboration between socialists and liberals became difficult
why did conservatives and nationalists not trust the socialists?
thought SPD would strip rich of property + organise violent revolution
why were there major divisions between the SPD and KPD?
SPD feared communist revolution would lead to KPD persecuting SPD, SPD authorised military action against KPD - relationship deteriorated
why did political divisions make German gov tricky?
proportional representation meant hard for single party to win majority, coalitions necessary - parties had to work together (difficult)
why were there divides along religious lines?
Germany christian, most people protestant, fears of Catholicism being threat to German culture, main liberal parties didn’t defend rights of Catholics
what were the ethnic divisions in Germany?
Slaves + Poles, French + Danes, seen as inferior, gov followed policy of Germanisation, illegal to teach other languages, Jews persecuted, associated with modern culture + urbanisation not traditional German culture
when was the Spartacist uprising?
Jan 1919
when was the Kapp putsch?
march 1920
when was the Ruhr uprising?
march 1920
when was the Munich Pustch?
nov 1923
what happened at the Spartacist uprising?
led by KPD after their meeting under attack from private armies, uprising in Berlin, gov moved to Weimar, Freikorps dealt with it, Liebknecht + Luxemburg captured, beaten + arrested
how many political murders were there between 1919 -1923?
376
how did Ebert help overcome the challenegs?
held gov together 1919-23
how did Stresemann help overcome the challenges?
dealt with crises, foreign + economic policy successes, role in creating + maintaining Grand Coalitio
what happened 1924-29 that helped stability?
economy recovered through Stresemann, helped foreign policy + relationship with other countries
what reasons ensured weimar democracy survived overcoming challenges?
success of economy, political leadership, use of Article 48, threat of left, pragmatism + compromise of political parties
what qualities did Ebert have?
gifted negotiator, capable administrator, pragmatic
what was Ebert’s goals?
work with Weimar system to improve pay + rights of workers, compromise + reform
what did Ebert do to compromise?
worked with army, right wing civil service + judiciary, worked with right wing politicians
what did Eberts compromises do in the long term and short term?
LT- undermined democracy
ST- bought new regime time, kept republic going through crises
what did the press think and do regarding Ebert?
viewed him as traitor, printed stories accusing him of betraying Germany
what did Ebert do against his critics in the press?
started more than 173 lawsuits against them trying to clear his name
who was Hindenburg?
president after Ebert, DNVP, had support of right, military general, viewed as hero
what did Hindenburg do in 1928 that shows he was using his power constitutionally?
appoint SPD leader Hermann Muller as chancellor, arrangement between conservative nationalists + socialists
why did Hindenburg’s leadership make the regime more stable?
gave German right a reason to support the regime
how did Stresemann increase support of the constitution?
his support meant people in his party (Peoples party) supported the new constitution
when was Stresemann foreign minister?
1923-29
What was the Dawes plan, when was it?
1924- loans to germany from USA, rearrange reparations payments
when did the French withdraw from the Ruhr?
1924-25
When was the Locarno pact, when was it?
1925- series of treaties, Germany recognised borders with surrounding European countries
when did the LoN allow Germany to join?
1926
what treaty was signed by Germany + USSR in 1926?
Treaty of Berlin, improve relations, encourage economic + military exchange
what was the Kellogg-Brian’s pact, when was it?
renounced use of force to solve disputes, 1928
what was the Young plan, when was it?
1929, rescheduled reparations payments
how many times did Ebert use Article 48?
136 occasions
why did Eberts use of Article 48 have a destabilising effect?
used against left but not against right, used it when no emergency, established precedent president could use it without emergency
what parties supported the Republic + help it survive?
SPD, German Democrats + ZP
why did the threat from the left help keep the Weimar republic going?
communist revolution seemed to be real threat, Weimar republic lesser of two evils
what did the Ebert-Groener ensure for the army?
independence and respect
what were the Freikorps?
demobilised soldiers, anti-communist force of volunteers
what were the Freikorps motivated by?
right wing nationalist + anti democratic political goals
what did the Freikorps do in the Sparticist uprising?
fought alongside army, crushed uprising,
why were the actions of the Freikorps destabilising in the long term?
had widespread popular support, helped legitimise use of political violence
what did the threat of the left lead to for pro-weimar parties?
significant support, won 76.2% vote 1919
what happened when the communist threat receded?
support for pro-Weimar parties diminished
