The political impact of the Depression Flashcards
When was the collapse of the Grand Coalition?
March 1930
What does economic instability lead to?
Political polarisation
What did the depression result in?
Lack of trust in the Weimar Republic
Political Polarisation
Publics belief in the need for change
Why did the Grand Coalition collapse?
Could not decide how to respond to the Depression
SPD argued to protect benefits and raise taxes
DVP argued to reduce benefit payments
=deadlock and Muller resigned in March 1930
When was Bruning chancellor?
1930-1932
Why was Bruning appointed Chancellor?
= Hindenburg advised by General Groener and General Von Schleicher
Both apposed democracy and wanted this to be an opportunity to impose an authoritarian style regime
= Hindenburg respected Constitution but similarly held democracy in Contempt
Bruning had authoritarian leanings
= Bruning excludes SPD from his coalition
= no majority………….so rules by presidential decree
What was the nickname for Bruning?
Hunger Chancellor
What did Bruning do to balance the budget?
Depp cut in government spending but also raised taxes
BUT army spending and farm subsidies to Junkers not cut to keep support
How many laws were passed by Presidential decree in 1930, 1931 and 1932?
1930 = 5
1931= 44
1932=66
In the 1930 election results how many seats did the KPD win?
77
In the 1930 election how many seats did the NSDAP win?
107 seats
How many voters out of 5 in the 1930 election supported anti-democratic parties?
2 out of 5
What happened in the Reichstag after the 1930 election?
=Unmanageable and irrelevant
NSDAP disrupted proceedings through chanting and shouting
Reichstag did not meet between Feb and October 1931
sessions short and infrequent
= political power in the hands of the president with article 48
= in essence it was the end of democracy
In the years 1930-1933 what happened to political violence?
= increased
By the end of 1931 political violence had become that bad what did Bruning do?
=banned the wearing of political uniforms however this had little effect on the SA
so………
April 1932 Hindenburg signed a decree outlawing the SA though in reality this did nothing
By the end of 1932 what was the estimated membership of the SA?
400,000
