How Was The Weimar Republic Doomed From The Start
Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start?
It had a promising beginning:
A constitution guaranteeing federal rights, seven year presidential terms and proportional representation was passed in Weimar on the 19th July 1919.
This should have meant a good foundation for democracy and sound government. Article 48 stopped (in theory) the major politicians from arguing. It was supported by the Big 3 world Superpowers (Great Britain, USA and France). The Constitution meant that everyone as politically accountable within quite an advanced political structure which seemed to promise true democracy.
And yet it was also based on flimsy foundations.
It had accepted the validity of the hugely unpopular Versailles Treaty which ended the First World War this meant that it accepted as law the large amount of reparations imposed on Germany as instigator of the conflict. This led to financial and economic weakness underpinned by political unpopularity with the …show more content…
Other economic factors intervened:
The near economic bankruptcy brought on by the First World War; the failure to be able to meet reparations payments after the £50 million due in 1921; the huge inflation brought on by the French invasion of the Ruhr in 1923 and the industrial resistance that ensued. 4 arks to the dollar became 4.2 million by 1923. This hit the working and middle classes very badly, but the rich landowners and industrialist who had their wealth in land and property manager to insulate themselves, causing even greater social friction.
The Dawes Plan in 1924 made large improvements, reducing reparations to one-third and a $40 million loan from the USA helped.
However, this placed the German economy in the hands of the Americans and if the US economy faltered as it did in 1929, then the impact would be twice as strong in
It had a promising beginning:
A constitution guaranteeing federal rights, seven year presidential terms and proportional representation was passed in Weimar on the 19th July 1919.
This should have meant a good foundation for democracy and sound government. Article 48 stopped (in theory) the major politicians from arguing. It was supported by the Big 3 world Superpowers (Great Britain, USA and France). The Constitution meant that everyone as politically accountable within quite an advanced political structure which seemed to promise true democracy.
And yet it was also based on flimsy foundations.
It had accepted the validity of the hugely unpopular Versailles Treaty which ended the First World War this meant that it accepted as law the large amount of reparations imposed on Germany as instigator of the conflict. This led to financial and economic weakness underpinned by political unpopularity with the …show more content…
Other economic factors intervened:
The near economic bankruptcy brought on by the First World War; the failure to be able to meet reparations payments after the £50 million due in 1921; the huge inflation brought on by the French invasion of the Ruhr in 1923 and the industrial resistance that ensued. 4 arks to the dollar became 4.2 million by 1923. This hit the working and middle classes very badly, but the rich landowners and industrialist who had their wealth in land and property manager to insulate themselves, causing even greater social friction.
The Dawes Plan in 1924 made large improvements, reducing reparations to one-third and a $40 million loan from the USA helped.
However, this placed the German economy in the hands of the Americans and if the US economy faltered as it did in 1929, then the impact would be twice as strong in