Left wing: SPD

• Aims & support:

  • Erfurt Programme 1891 - demanded abolition of class rule, equal rights, use of income tax, property tax & inheritance tax for govt revenue
  • Bebel - leader of SPD - developed theory of gradual socialism to achieve long term goal of constitutional change
• Degree of influence:

  • Minimal. Even when opportunities to challenge leaders arose such as, the Zabern affair 1913, they failed to exploit the opportunity in fear of appearing as unpatriotic
  • Party was divided among moderate & revolutionary fractions.