The Failure Of The Weimar Republic

Governmental failure bred new societal and political developments in Germany. The post-war era in 1919 caused the majority of the German populace to push for more democracy in their governmental system. Elected officials from the three favored political parties: the Social Democratic Party, the Catholic Center Party, and the German Democratic Party met in Weimar, Germany, to construct a constitution, establish a coalition, and give birth to the new Weimar Republic (Weimar, 7). However, as ideologies among the citizenry grew to favor the extreme left and right sides of the political spectrum, the democratic parties’ share of the vote shrank to less than 50 percent in 1920 (Weimar, 7). German distrust in the Weimar government grew as the Versailles
The slowing of trade, decrease in production, and increase in unemployment fueled the rise of opposition and propaganda, particularly among the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP). Their successful propaganda promising a better economy, workforce, and lifestyle along with their charismatic leader, Adolf Hitler, catered to the political and economic issues in Germany during the early 1930’s (Weimar, 37). The day Hitler was proclaimed chancellor of Germany in 1932 marked the destruction of the Weimar Republic. Currently, Germany is mainly composed of a political party which was not as prevalent in the country’s past: the SPD. The negative outcomes of Hitler’s totalitarian regime as a result of inefficiency in the Weimar system led to future developments for a better government. Today, the lessons learned from the mostly unsuccessful Weimar Republic can be shown through Germany’s current political parties, economic status, and
The Weimar Republic was created with meaningful intentions, however, blame apportioned towards the government for signing the Treaty of Versailles led to the rise of opposition, increasing inefficiency within the government, and economic downfall. Adolf Hitler immediately seized the attention of the populace as an opportunity to gain control. After healing the economy, however, Hitler’s growing interest in war and violence ultimately damaged Germany further. A constant throughout German rule has been the prevalence of the Social Democratic Party. Since the formation of the Weimar Republic, the SPD has been the most democratic, supportive, and tolerant of all other political parties, explaining its heavy participation in German politics today. Also, capitalist ideologies have been constant throughout all forms of German government since 1919. The differences in degree of capitalism incorporated within the Germany economy consequently benefited the country, allowing it to be one of the most economically stable regions in Europe today. Lastly, the involvement of the German public in their government as well as the dynamics of the government itself has changed overtime. There were beneficial as well as disadvantageous aspects of both the Weimar Republic as well as the