Problems of Weimar Constitution

Question 1

Proportional Representation

Answer 1

minority parties were given a powerful voice in government, particularly if they were needed for a coalition
different political aims of different parties would lead to clashes, with Chancellors finding it had to reach a compromise

Question 2

Coalitions

Answer 2

Didn’t last long - translated to Germany not being run very well or having weak governments
the centre parties workers with the left and the right, meaning policy changes were not as great as voters would expect
what the people got was different from what they voted for, even if their party was in government
compromise and deals were necessary

Question 3

Opposition to Weimar

Answer 3

much political violence in Weimar Republic
government relied on army and freikorps to deal with any conflicts
a lot of parties were opposed to the Republic - KPD, DNVP, NSDAP

Question 4

Coalitions opposing interests

Answer 4

left wing parties - wanted higher taxes for rich, more social welfare, workers rights
right wing parties - supported by the middle and upper classes of germans, such as business owners and landowners who typically opposed the points of the left wing

Question 5

Early Coalitions

Answer 5

tended to be more left wing, with the SPD and centre parties, but the KPD was unwilling to work with the SPD

Question 6

Later Coalitions

Answer 6

more focused on the centre and right wing parties

Question 7

Weimar Constitution’s strengths

Answer 7

highly democratic
parties needed 50% of the vote to dominate
the interests of more people were reflected in government than before

Question 8

Weimar Constitution’s weaknesses

Answer 8

Germany had no prior experience with this level of democracy
Article 48 - could be exploited since there was no definition of what an emergency was
traditional elites had traditional, anti-republic views, and they welded too much influence