constitution in Weimar Germany

• Policies under Kaiser Germany which changed in the Weimar republic

  men over 25 could vote which changed to everyone over 20. The head of state was the kaiser which changed to the president elected every 7 years and underneath was the chancellor who could be dismissed by president whereas under the Kaiser everything was controlled by the Kaiser himself.
• Voting system in Weimar Germany

  29 million voters, for every 60,000 votes in each district (there were 35 districts) the party gained one representative to the Reichstag. This created proportional representation.
• The Kaiser's system was electoral whereas the Weimar system was federal.
• The parliamentary government had a head of state, formal leader of the country. A parliament, elected by the people and democratic. The government is people who run the country and make decisions.
• Weaknesses of the Weimar republic?

  big businesses unchanged, communist threat, power of landed elites, bureaucracy unchanged and hostile, military hostile, right wing threat, article 48 undermines Reichstag. Proportional representation means it takes longer to pass legislations and there is more anger within the Reichstag due to various parties. There was no clarity where power lied.
• Strengths of the Weimar constitution?

  Individual rights, welfare provisions, democratic, president powers limited under article 48 (meaning no dictatorships), Reichstag elected by proportional representation, can lead to more moderate government with less extremist groups.
• Article 48 was used 14 times between 1919-1933
• 1st elections good for Weimar with 83% turnout, 76.1% pro-democratic parties
• support for 3 main democratic parties declines and more extremist (DNVP AND KDP)