Political Development/ Was it a golden age politically

Question 1

How many coalition cabinets were there ?

Answer 1

There were seven coalition cabinets between November 1923 and March 1930.

Question 2

What do the amount coalition governments suggest about the main democratic parties ?

Answer 2

Suggest that the democratic parties were struggling to provide a stable government that commanded widespread support.
- Democracy still did not have widespread appeal and support in Germany as a majority could not be obtained.

Question 3

Impact of coalition governments

Answer 3

• Coalition governments are inherently unstable as there was many voices and opinions in government which caused divisions and a lack of success in government affairs.
• This reveals it was not a golden age.

Question 4

Issues/ Problems with coalition governments ?

Answer 4

• Leading party members who became ministers in coalition cabinets were not given any flexibility by party committees.
• party leader often gave higher priority to protecting interests of their own party rather than national interests
  This brought the parliamentary system into disrepute and support for democratic institutions suffered.

Question 5

Negative Impact of the Dawes and Young Plan on politics ?

Answer 5

• Nationalist opinion in Germany grew as Germany was basically accepting the terms of ToV - threatened the Weimar government.
  DNVP launched a nationwide campaign against the plan which involver other conservative groups including the Nazis

Question 6

Positive Impact of the Dawes and Young Plan and the new currency ?

Answer 6

• The Dawes Plan and the new currency ( Rentenmark ) helped increase the popularity of government as the trauma of hyperinflation had been successfully treated.

Question 7

How/Why did the Mittlestands have support for the Weimar government

Answer 7

• The Mittlestands who suffered with hyperinflation, welcomed the social reforms introduced

Question 8

Evidence of lack of support for the NSDAP ?

Answer 8

• at the end of 1927, Nazi Party only had 75,000 members and several deputies in the Reichstag
• 1928 Reichstag election the Nazis did badly losing 100,000 votes

Question 9

Evidence of lack of support for the KPD ?

Answer 9

• German communist party never became a genuinely mass party
• Communist party saw its fortunes fall after May 1924.

Question 10

What did the lack of support for extremism show ?

Answer 10

• Appeal for extremism was low
• Political extremism was not much of an issue when there Is a stable economic situation
• People starting to have faith and trust in democracy.Traditional conservatives were beginning to adapt to the reality of democracy

Question 11

Details of the election of Hindenburg ?

Answer 11

• election of Hindenburg as President in 1925
• Presidential election took place, where Hindenburg won with 48% of the vote.

Question 12

Positive impact of President Hindenburg

Answer 12

• brought political stability
• He won the election, stable as had the support of the majority
• carried out his duties with absolute correctness
• stuck closely the Weimar constitution and did not abuse his power
• appealed to the parties in the Reichstag to work with him to restore national unity

Question 13

Negative impact of President Hindenburg ?

Answer 13

• Hindenburg was a strongly monarchist and a member of the German elite
• Appointment of Hindenburg pleaded the aristocracy, upper classes and right wing parties
• Hindenburg’s appointment as President seen by many as a backward step for parliamentary democracy with his military and conservative past