The Weaknesses Of The Weimar Republic

During 1919 to 1933 the Weimar Republic came to take power of the German government due to some problems with other countries. The Weimar had many struggles during these years of power. Not only political problems but economically and socially. Various conflicting weaknesses were concurrent with the result of a Republic. In fact, because of the economic, political, and social problems the Weimar Republic faced Adolf Hitler came to take power. They faced violent uprising from many groups.
To begin with, after Germany lost the First World War, the Kaiser fled. Due to this reason a new democratic government of Germany was declared in February 1919 at the small town of Weimar. Because of France, United States, and Britain blaming the king for World War 1 he had to stop being the king of Germany. After the war, the German society changed enormously. This was also because of losing the war. This was when the Weimar had to come to power. At first, when the Weimar Republic came to power the Germans did not like them because they were so long under the dictatorship of the Kaiser that they didn’t want to welcome a wonderful democracy.
As many of us know, the Weimar affected the Treaty of Versailles. Many of us see the signing of the Treaty of Versailles as undermining
the Weimar Republic. Though this was because of hyperinflation. The government had to print more money to pay the Ruhr workers. Due to propaganda the Germans didn’t realise that they were losing the war. In the 1920s, Germany remained politically and economically unstable. The Weimar democracy couldn’t stand the disaster of the Great Depression in 1929. The Great Depression were 10 long lasting years of economic crisis from 1929 through 1939. The Great Depression in the United States happened after the stock market crash of October that same year. This were one of the worst years for the US, Great Britain and Germany. In Germany unemployment increased dramatically. This means, many people didn’t have a job which lead to starvation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped lessen the worst effects of the Great Depression and this was how they got through it.
In addition, the Weimar Republic had a really weak leadership which lead to many problems. What it made the leadership so weak was that the Treaty of Versailles limited Germany in many ways in requiring the country to pay reparations to the winning parties of World War. This also contributed to the high inflation and unemployment during the twenties. As I stated before, because of the economic, political, and social problems Hitler came to power. Hitler used the Republic's Constitution to his benefit because of the depression of 1929 and people being in poverty. Unemployment was one of the reason why people were mad. People were confident in the system which made them believe in Germany.
The Spartacist uprising from January 1919 was one of the problems the Weimar faced. Freikorps defeated the Spartacists. The Freikorps weren’t friendly to the Weimar Government due to them not liking communism. They wanted to defeat it. The Freikorps marched on Berlin and proclaimed Dr. Wolfgang Kapp as Germany's new leader of Germany. Since the army refused to on the Freikorps the government fled. They formed a group called Organisation Consul. Matthias Erzberger and Walther Rathenau where the ones who did the Freikorps assassinate. Hitler thought that the Weimar was going to collapse because the German economy had been reduced to ruins by hyperinflation and the French occupation of the Ruhr. Hitler and his supporters broke into a meeting in a Munich beer-hall. They forced leaders to take part in their rebellion. Hitler thought the police and army would join his revolution. Sixteen Nazis were killed and Hitler and Ludendorff were arrested. Hitler was sentenced for five years in prison. Hitler now released that powers could best be achieved in Germany through the ballot box rather than an armed uprising.
Furthermore, the Weimar Republic Constitution ensured to make these two features for it to be a perfect democracy. These features were a bill of rights, all men and women over the age of twenty were given the right to vote, and the Reichstag being in charge. The bill of rights guaranteed every German citizen freedom of speech and religion. The Reichstag was the one who made the laws and appointed the government.
While the Stresemann was in office he insured to accomplish the organization of the great constitution of moderate and the pro-democracy parties in the Reichstag. Also, he made it possible for Germany to join the League of Nations. Stresemann plans were to solve Germany economic problems through international diplomacy and investment. That was when he became chancellor in 1923. Then he started negotiating with the USA. The USA would lend Germany money to help the economy get better economically. Even though he made a lot of progress for Germany was criticized by his opponents for his policy of "fulfillment." Also because of the compliance with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and by the German people after the invasion of the Ruhr. Stresemann agreed to pay the reparations set by the treaty in order for the French troops to evacuate.
Summing it all up, the Weimar Republic was a good government but it also had its weaknesses.
This whole process was due to Kaiser fleeing the country. The Treaty of Versailles caused hyperinflation and therefore the government had to print more money. This also made the Weimar Republic a weak leadership. Then because of the Spartacist not liking communism they wanted to defeat it. Though the Weimar Republic Constitution tried to ensured some strengths it didn’t help them being a better leadership. After that, Stresemann came to power and made it possible for Germany to join the League of Nations. All though all those reasons had impact on the Weimar, Hitler was one of the major reason on the Weimar
collapsing.