(S2) 1924-28 The 'Golden Age' of the Weimar Republic Flashcards
(46 cards)
What was the Grand Coalition?
- moderate pro demon ratio party
- stabilised currency and hyperinflation
- Stresemann led for 103 days
Emergency decree in 1923
- passed to make decision making quicker
How Stresemann made money work?
- introduces the rents mark, later became reichmark backed by gold standard
- kept control money circulating
Strengths/ weakness of how Stresemann made money work
- brought inflation under control
- people still lost savings
Key aim of Stresemann’s foreign policy
- stabilise the economy and settle the reperations bill
Dawes Plan (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- policy of fulfillment
- reperation bill decrease yearly till 1929
- start with paying a fraction
- German loan of 800 mil from USA to invest in infrastructure
Young Plan 1929 (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- German reperations until 1988, but only 1.8 nil
- Britain + France withdraw troops from Rhineland
Strengths / weakness of Young Plan 1929 (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- gradually left Ruhr
- unemployment around 1 mil
- Stresemann saw it as an economic armistice, did not believe in it
Stresemann’s Trade Recovery
- tariffs on foreign goods in 1925 to protect industries
Str / weak of Stresemann’s trade recovery
- exports rose 40% from 1925/29
- better living standards
- imports always exceeded exports so trade was in the red
Stresemann’s Farming policy
- made it easier to borrow money
Str / weak of Stresemann’s farming policy
- new machinery
- income per head less than national average
- in recession from 1927
Stresemann’s Government spending
- increased taxes to pay welfare benefits
Str / weaknesses of Stresemann’s gov spending
- reduced spending
- people against taxes
- disputes with workers / owners
Stresemann’s recovery of business
- encourages Cartels where businesses joined to control markets
Str / weak of Stresemann’s recovery of business
- 3000 formed from big industries buying small ones
- worker disputes with conditions and pay
- strikes
- unemployment increase
Treaty of Rapallo (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- with USSR to increase trade and develop weapons
- stepped away from post war isolation
- foreign powers angry as they are getting around disarmament
- Stresemann didn’t fully agree with TOV
Locarno Treaty 1925 (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- Germany agreed to respect boarders
- prevented territory loss and showed appeasement
Treaty of Berlin 1926 (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- stay out of USSR’s wars
- good relations created a buffer zone
League of Nations 1926 (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- Germany joined
- past post war isolation
Secret rearmament (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- increased troops but serving shorter terms
- support for gov through militarism
Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 (Stresemann’s foreign policy)
- internationals agreement to solve disputes peacefully
- prevent further conflict
Str of Stresemann’s actions towards the economy
- industrial production rose over 1913 rate
- pension, health and unemployment schemes
- hourly wages rose
- Dawes plan showed understanding of TOV
Weak of Stresemann’s actions towards the economy
- unemployment 1.9 mil in 1929
- agriculture levels still below pre war rate
- dependant on US loaned
- mittlestand no benefit from wage issue
- Young plan sparked nationality opinion from the rifjt
- farmers had to shut down their businesses
