political and governmental change

• left wing parties :

  • SPD (moderate)
  • USPD (radical)
  • KPD (communist)
• beliefs of left wing parties:

  • greater economic and social equality
  • wealth distribution
  • greater worker rights
  • higher taxes
• germany's center parties:

  • DDP
  • Zentrum
• beliefs of centre parties:

  • liberal ideas ; individual and economic freedom
  • equal distribution of wealth
  • some taxation for public services
• germany's right wing parties:

  • DVP
  • DNVP
• beliefs of right wing parties:

  • favoured authoritarian leaders
  • low taxation and less equality
  • monarchists , had conservative values
• the spartacist uprising took place in Berlin from Jan 4-15 , 1919. It was supressed by the army and the Friekorp , with Ebert's support
• over 100 workers were killed in the spartacist uprising
• left wing parties divided over Ebert's actions in the spartacist uprising , KPD never forgave SPD. USPD spilt , some joined KPD , others joined SPD
• KPD boycotted Jan 1919 elections
• results of Jan 1919 election:

  • SPD 38%
  • Z & BVP 20%
  • DDP 19%
• USPD left the government in December 1918
• terms of the weimar constitution:

  • president elected every 7 years by popular vote
  • Lander (local states) ran major services such as education and the police
  • state monarchs replaced in Nov 1918
• the reichsrat was the second chamber of the federal government - 67 members from 17 landers
• reichsrat could advise Reichstag and reject new laws but could by overruled by reichstag
• everyone 20 or older voted every 4 years for a new parliament and every 7 for a president
• proportional representation = coalition government
• strengths of weimar constitution:

  • highly democratic
  • no party could dominate without 50% of the vote
  • most people's interests reflected in government
• weakness of the weimar constitution:

  • germany had no experience of this level of democracy
  • coalitions gave minor parties balance of power
• president Hindenburg was president of Germany from 1925-34
• hindenburg was a monarchists , not committed to democracy. Attracted political groups who wanted an authoritarian system
• in the second half of the 20s , there was a growth in support for pro-weimar republic parties
• in may 1928 , 72.8% of votes were for pro-weimar parties
• between may 1924-march 1933 there were 10 new coalition governments
• attitudes of the elite:

  • resented Weimar , industrialists resented cost of welfare state , and loss of influence of the monarchy
  • army generals desired more authorities government , many judges and civil servants looked back wistfully to imperial Germany
• attitudes of the middle class:

  • smaller industrialists , businessmen , doctors , teachers , lawyers tended to be socially conservative
  • they didn't benefit from rising real wages in industry , or welfare state , felt left behind by the Republic
• attitudes of the working class:

  • 40% of electorate working class
  • urban working class tended to vote for SPD or KPD
  • agricultural labourers didn't tend to vote for SPD or KPD
  • many voted accordingly to their faith or for a regional party
• examples of political stability in weimar Germany:

  • less violence and insurrections between 1924-29 , compared to 1919-23
  • growing support for moderate parties such as SPD
  • decline in political extremism , need for parties such as DNVP to change their political strategy
• examples of an unstable democracy:

  • coalitions frequency , politicians constantly bargaining to stay in power , thus discrediting parliamentary government
  • disconnect between voters and representatives in Reichstag
  • only 60,000 votes needed for a political party to get into Reichstag , growth of small , narrow sectional interested parties
• Weimar's constitution included what?

  Bill of Rights
• features of the Bill of Rights

  • freedoms of speech , association and religion
  • government ensured that everyone had a job
  • workers given special protection in new state
  • welfare rights
  • right to property
• first election of 191 produced a majority for which party?

  pro-weimar parties

  • 1920 election saw support go down to 45%