Weimar Social Flashcards
What evaporated the spirit of 1914?
War dragging on and food shortages
When conscription introduced?
Conscription into army at 18 from 1916, or other war work every fit man 17-60 = made times tough but w/c men’s wages generally held up but m/c professionals increasingly lost out.
Effect on women of war?
Not conscripted but many sought work to compensate absence of men. Prospect better pay in factories meant many w/c left domestic.
Effect of war on wage differences between genders?
Wage differences narrowed.
By October 1918, what percent of the workforce was female? And what percent became union members?
1/3 workforce female and 25% of these union members.
How did families suffer during war?
Working and absent parents = children neglected, lack of coal = schools not heated, and teachers to war = education interrupted.
Conditions of Germany 1918?
Appalling = all resources to war effort, disrupt to agriculture from conscription, british blockade.
How many calories a day average German having in 1918?
under 1000
1918 condition of electricity, public transport, business, economy and the ill?
Electricity cut to conserve energy.
Public transport no reliable schedule.
Businesses could not function,
Ill couldn’t be attended to.
Economy close to collapse.
How many people died of Spanish Flu 1918?
over a million , exacerbated the awful 1918 condition of Germany.
How early years of Republic difficult?
Positive?
Readjustment to civil life difficult, political unrest, difficult economic situation - 1923 crisis.
Gov support solved immediate post war problems.
Height of 1923 crisis impact on workers?
Paid daily (even 2x), some paid in goods, unskilled fared the worst, but most w/c rode storm and once real wages + living standards went up from ‘24 they recovered.
Who suffered most of hyperinflation?
Pensioners, savers, investors, fixed incomes, rely on welfare. Young people unable to work and sick.
Those who bought war bonds, war widows on the widow pension, landlords, overall - white collar workers.
What was the government inadequate compensation for hyperinflation?
a 10% of their debt compensation scheme - they lost all their savings and pensions = grossly inadequate.
Who did well from hyperinflation?
debtors, owe mortgage or loans, enterprisers get cheap loans, property on long term fixed rent, farmers coped since food in demand and money less important rurally, skilled benefit from high demand (regional variation in supply and demand)
1918 Welfare measure?
workers granted 8 hour day, all restrictions on TU abolished, industrial tribunals.
(previously no hour regulation on men, and for woman and children it was 10 hours)
1920 Welfare measure?
War victim benefits added, this was 2.5 million people.
1922 welfare measure?
The Youth Welfare Act - youth service promote physical and social fitness.
1923 welfare measure?
unemployment relief consolidated into regular programme of assistance. National Insurance extended + a single agency for admin of social insurance for miners replaced 110 seperate agency’s before.
1924 welfare measure?
A public assistance programme replaced older poor relief programme.
1925 welfare measure?
An accident insurance programme now allowed diseases linked to certain work.
1927 welfare measure?
unemployment insurance extended to 17.25 million workers (more than any country). financed by levy (half worker half employer).
What were the Lander welfare schemes?
Improved hospitals, schools, roads, municipal buildings, and electricity supplies.
How did Landed often afford the social welfare?
Foreign Loans
Why did they want to provide affordable homing?
Hope to provide future stability
How many dwellings were built in 1925
178,930
How many dwellings built in 1926?
205,793
Negatives of welfare state?
Almost collapsed during passive resistance. It caused high tax = friction between elites and workers. Elites felt attacked + saw another reason to oppose democracy + workers developed high expectations which couldn’t be met during economic difficulty.
How did some employers try avoid the changes?
Tried to resist concessions and they set up cartels , tried monopolise production, stifle compensation, and keep prices high.
Why did smaller shopkeepers resent state?
Gave help to unskilled workers and urban workers who they regarded as social inferior + hard earned profits taxed to be used for “no goods” + when they were suffering for competition from growing large department stores.
