Revolution 1918-1919 - Preparation And Adoption Of New Constitution Flashcards
What happened in January 1919
Elections held to constituent assembly
77% of voters voted for parties that supported the republic
Who drew up the new constitution
Lawyer Hugo Preuss headed committee
August 1919 assembly accepted it 262 votes to 75
What did the new constitution include
Range of rules and rights that would apply to Germany
Many were uncontroversial
Some were supported by the left and opposed by right
Others supported by right and opposed by left
What did part 1 include (10)
How the gov would work:
- was a republic
- all men and women over 20 could vote
- Reichstag elections held every 4 years
- president voted for by people every 7 years
- president controls armed forces
- chancellor and Minister’s appointed by president
- reichstag can remove chancellor and Minister’s
- chancellor and Minister’s responsible for politics and laws
- German state had influence through the Reichsrat
- article 48
What is article 48
President can use force if public safety threatened or any state refuses to follow national laws
What does part 2 include (7)
Rights and duties of germans:
- men and women equal
- freedom of speech
- could choose religion, no national religion or church
- right to join trade unions
- system of social insurance
- can nationalise businesses if chosen to
- middle classes will be protected from oppression
Who was the Constitution inspired by
France, Britain and the USA, said to be most democratic in the world
Why was the Constitution positive
- gave them equal influence in choosing gov and laws
- guaranteed range of personal freedoms
- no single person or group could become too powerful
Problems of the Constitution
- proportional representation system meant always coalition gov which often collapsed
- not always obvious chancellor candidate so president had huge power
- article 48 could be used to control the country
- welfare guarantees angered tax payers
Stephen Lee
Constitution regarded by those who framed it as most advanced at the time
RJ Evens
The power to rule by article 48 was only intended for exceptional emergencies
K D Bracher
Constitution allowed for possibility of presidential gov without and against the will of parliament and democratic opinion
David Evens and Jane Jenkins
Constitution wasn’t revolutionary, but was a major change from imperial regime
