Why democracy failed? Flashcards
1
Q
5 factors why democracy failed
A
- appointment of hitler as chancellor/backstairs intrigue (Election September 1930)
- Hermann Muller’s government 1928 – Grand Coalition
- The Young Plan 1929
- ## Appointment of Bruning as Chancellor
2
Q
appointment of Hitler as chancellor/backstairs intrigue
A
- Papen and Hindenburgs son helped persuaded Hinderburg to have Hitler as Chancellor
- Saw Hitler as in-experienced and easy to control as chancellor
- Schleicher aimed for alliance between forces of old conservatism and Nazi’s who with their popular support, would legitimise an authoritarian regime dominated by old conservatives
- Fall of papens gov, Hindenburg running out of options.
3
Q
Hermann Muller’s government 1928 – Grand Coalition
and collapse
A
- support of over 60% of the Reichstag and seemed as if democracy was beginning to emerge
- Weimar Republic was torn apart by the re-emergence of the issue of reparations
- Finance = KEY issue which brought down his government in March 1930
- Increase in unemployment had created a large deficit due to national insurance scheme & coalition
- SPD want to increase contributions and maintain welfare payments, DVP want to decrease due to links with big businesses
- Muller has no control and can no longer maintain a majority – no option but to resign
4
Q
The Young Plan 1929
A
- new scheme of payments –agreed at ¼ of 1921 sum = £1860million
- German right-wing circles = seen as betrayal of national interests to the allies = reparations based on the ‘lie’ of the war guilt clause
- National Opposition = A national committee was formed under Hugenburg (leader of the DNVP) formed to fight the Young Plan meant denounced any payments of reparations
—> didnt work as didn’t get enough signatures BUT stir nationalist emotions and brought together many right-wing opponents = Nazi membership = grew.
5
Q
Appointment of Bruning as Chancellor
A
- Bruning cut gov expenditure wages and unemployment pay
- added to spiral of decline and unemployment continued to rise
- he couldnt get reichstag to agree to allow elections, so hindenburg used article 48 of weimar constitution and gave president power to pass law by decree
- bruning secretly maneuvered into office
5
Q
Sept 1930 election
A
- Bruning hoped for coalition to be formed
- nazi breakthrough and won 18.3% making them largest power
- DDP and DVP lost significantly
- Polarisation = left + right made extensive gains against pro democratic parties making it difficult for proper democratic parliament to function in gov
- parliamentary democracy dropping
